DIGGING FOR LIFE | A backhoe is used in clearing landslide debris at Barangay San Luis in Malitbog, Bukidnon, to find four people still buried there on Tuesday. The body of a truck helper was earlier recovered from the site. (Photo courtesy of RMN DXCC)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Philippines — Search teams are racing against time to find four people trapped in a landslide in Malitbog town, Bukidnon province, on Monday afternoon, reports from local and police officials said.
Local media reports citing Lt. Danilo Sabornido Jr., Malitbog police chief, said a fifth person buried by mud and rocks, Jordan Achas, was found dead on Tuesday.
Search and rescue teams from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Army’s 16th Infantry Battalion, and private construction company Sta. Clara International, continued scouring the area at Sitio Mabuhay in Barangay San Luis on Tuesday afternoon, hoping to find the four others.
According to Malitbog Mayor Gary Casiño, Achas worked for the local government as a dump truck helper.
Achas and two others—Nerio Talines and Raffy Simprota—were sent to the area on Monday with a dump truck and backhoe to clear the barangay road of landslide debris from Sunday’s heavy rains.
Talines is the backhoe operator while Simprota drove the truck.
Casiño said that after completing their task, the three took their lunch and asked to take a rest at the house of couple Lucrecio and Angelita Lauronal.Then the landslide hit around 12:30 p.m.
Ensuring safety
The house of a neighbor of the Lauronal couple was also buried but family members were able to evacuate in time, Casiño said.
He told reporters that the search and retrieval on Monday was slowed down by occasional slides, forcing those overseeing the operation to call it off by evening to ensure the safety of rescuers.
Casiño said the backhoe was wrecked.
The Malitbog tragedy came a day after heavy flooding hit two urban villages of Cagayan de Oro City and another nearby community in Tagoloan town, Misamis Oriental province.
On Tuesday, Tagoloan Mayor Nadya Emano Elipe said the number of affected families in Barangay Casinglot could reach more than 200 even as only 68 took temporary shelter in a local evacuation center.
She said the others chose to stay in the houses of relatives.
Elipe said they were hoping that a flood control dike could be constructed to prevent the river that passes through Casinglot from overflowing into the communities.
Officials of Tablon village in Cagayan de Oro are also hoping the end of frequent flooding is in sight when a dike under construction would be completed soon.
—RYAN D. ROSAURO
RELATED STORIES
Storm triggers landslides, floods in Cagayan
Landslides shut down portion of highway in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
Landslides on Mt. Arayat endanger 1,531 families, say experts