Dozens still missing after landfill landslide in central Philippines
Mayor Nestor Archival confirmed on Saturday that signs of life had been detected at the Binaliw landfill site, raising hopes that survivors may still be trapped beneath the debris. Four people have been confirmed dead, while 12 others have been hospitalized.
The collapse occurred Thursday while 110 workers were present. More than 30 remain unaccounted for, with families anxiously waiting for updates. Jerahmey Espinoza, whose husband is missing, told reporters: “They haven’t seen him or located him ever since the disaster happened. We’re still hopeful that he’s alive.”
Emergency crews face hazardous conditions, with unstable debris and limited equipment slowing progress. Authorities are awaiting the arrival of a 50 ton crane to aid excavation. Cebu City councillor Dave Tumulak stressed the urgency: “We are racing against time, that’s why our deployment is 24/7.”
The cause of the collapse is still under investigation. Councillor Joel Garganera suggested poor waste management practices may be to blame, noting that operators had been cutting into the mountain and piling garbage to form new mounds of waste.
Covering about 15 hectares (37 acres), the Binaliw landfill is one of many such sites in major Philippine cities. Cebu, a vital trading hub and gateway to the Visayas region, now faces one of its deadliest industrial disasters in recent memory.
This tragedy underscores the risks posed by unsafe landfill operations and the urgent need for stronger oversight of waste management practices.
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