Search on for 48 people feared buried in Davao de Oro landslide

SCARRED LAND A screengrab from AFPTV aerial video footage taken on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, shows the extent of Tuesday night’s landslide in Maco, Davao de Oro province. Mud and rocks buried parts of a village and a couple of vehicles used by a mining company’s employees. Photo by Agence France-Presse

MACO, Davao de Oro — Search operations have resumed Thursday for more than 40 people believed still buried under mud and other debris more than 36 hours after a landslide struck a mining village in Maco town, Davao de Oro, that left at least seven people dead.

The operation to find at least 48 people had been halted late Wednesday as inclement weather and threats of another landslide posed a risk to the rescuers, according to Jiesyl Mae Tan, Maco information officer.

“Yes, it has resumed at 8 a.m. today,” Tan, the incident command post spokesperson, told the Inquirer. “It’s still search and rescue. We’re still hoping to see signs of life in the area.”

The slide, which happened past 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, buried three 60-seater buses and a passenger jeepney, which could accommodate up to 36 people, aside from dozens of houses at Zone 1, Masara, authorities said.

READ: Landslide hits Davao de Oro; 11 hurt, 12 missing

The vehicles were at a bus depot there waiting to pick up employees of Apex Mining Co. Inc (AMCI), who were going home to other barangays in Mawab, when tragedy struck.

The mining firm said the landslide hit an area some distance away from its mining site.

Officials have limited the access to the disaster-stricken area to rescuers and members of the security forces due to difficult road condition, poor mobile phone signal, and the constant threat of small landslides.

READ: Death toll in Davao landslide rises to 10