Local disaster management council puts mining town under state of calamity

MANILA, Philippines — The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Thursday declared the town of Pantukan in Compostela Valley under state of calamity following a landslide that killed at least 25 people and 15 injured.

In its 1 p.m. update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also said that search and rescue operations are still ongoing for the more or less 150 persons reported missing.

According to NDRRMC Executive Director Undersecretary Benito Ramos, joint elements from the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines were conducting the SAR.

The military has also deployed a rescue helicopter of the 3rd Air Force Division from Cagayan de Oro City to aid in the recovery and retrieval of casualties. The PNP has also deployed trucks and other search and rescue equipment to assist in operations.

The local government of Pantukan has also dispatched seven trucks for the SAR. Likewise, the MDRRMC Pantukan has set up the Incident Command Post to organize a coordinated response.

Small scale miners and APEX Miners have also volunteered to assist in rescue operations, Ramos said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health will provide 150 cadaver bags requested by the DOH’s Center For Health Development (CHD) 10. Likewise, the CHD 10 is attending to the medical needs of the injured and attending to the recovered bodies, Ramos added.

The landslide happened in Sitio (sub-village) Diat 1 and Diat 2 in Barangay (village) Napnapan, Pantukan, Compostela Valley Province. The landslide was believed to have been triggered by the continuous rains in the area for the past few days, the NDRRMC said.

The Office of Civil Defense Region 10 is conducting damage and needs assessment in the area and is still validating the number of casualties.