Chances of finding survivors in quake-spawned landslides slim—NDRRMC

MANILA, Philippines—Chances are “very slim” that the 71 people believed buried in two earthquake-triggered landslides in Negros Oriental are still alive, according to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Benito Ramos.

Ramos said the landslides last Monday trapped about 29 people in their homes in Barangay Planas in Guihulngan City and some 42 others in their homes in Barangay Solongon in La Libertad.

“The chances that there are survivors are very slim. They were buried under huge mounds of soil,” Ramos said Wednesday afternoon, when interviewed by phone from Dumaguete City.

He, however, said the search and rescue operations led by troops from the Army’s 302nd Brigade would go on “as long as it takes.”