Evacuation up as landslide buries people in Davao de Oro mining village

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

TAGUM CITY — An undisclosed number of people have been buried in a landslide that hit an upland village in Maco, Davao de Oro on Tuesday night.

Fe Maestre, provincial information officer of Davao de Oro confirmed the incident but did not provide details.

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The landslide happened at around 7 p.m. at Zone 1, Barangay Masara, as several buses carrying employees of Apex Mining Company Inc. (AMCI) were about to leave for Maco proper, an employee of the mining firm who asked for anonymity for lack of authority to speak on the matter, told the Inquirer.

Maestre told the Inquirer on Messenger a search and rescue team from the local government of Maco was immediately deployed in the area for the rescue efforts.

The mining employee said several people have been rescued and are now being treated at the nearest hospital.

In a statement, the provincial risk reduction and management office has warned residents in the villages of Masara, Mainit, Elizalde, Tagbaros and Panibasan to evacuate to safer grounds.

The local disaster office of Maco has warned the risk of a flash flood as debris from the landslide had dammed a portion of a river which flows through the five villages and which empties to Hijo River, and advised the suspension of classes throughout the municipality.

The city disaster office in Tagum, Davao del Norte likewise ordered a pre-emptive evacuation of residents near the Hijo River as a precaution.