Landslide at Cebu landfill leaves one dead, several injured

CEBU CITY - A landslide at a landfill in Cebu City, Philippines, on Jan 8 left one person dead and several others injured, according to city officials.

As at 7.35pm local time, a total of seven individuals had been rescued from the collapsed Material Recovery Facility in Barangay Binaliw, one of whom was declared dead, while three remain in critical condition, the authorities said.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival confirmed that disaster response teams and first responders were immediately deployed following reports of people being trapped under the rubble.

Medical teams are currently on site, while search-and-rescue operations continue, said Mr Archival.

“I am closely monitoring the situation and I will go personally to Binaliw landfill as soon as possible to check the situation and to coordinate the next action (steps),” said the mayor.

“We ask the public to remain calm and please avoid going to the said area so our responders can carry out their operations properly,” added Mr Archival.

Cebu City Councillor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said initial estimates indicated that more than 20 individuals may have been buried when the structure collapsed.

“Those rescued were identified as landfill employees and were rushed to nearby hospitals,” Mr Tumulak said.

Mr Tumulak added that emergency response operations were immediately activated following the incident, with the authorities dispatching ambulances, a rescue truck, police and traffic personnel to the area.

He added that the city also coordinated with various government agencies to ensure a swift and organised response, while nearby hospitals were alerted to prepare for incoming patients. THE INQUIRER/ASIA NEWS NETWORK