1 missing after landslide hits Southern Leyte town

INQUIRER FILES

TACLOBAN CITY — A landslide struck a village in San Ricardo town, Southern Leyte early Sunday morning, July 13, leaving one person missing and causing significant property damage.

The incident occurred at 5:55 a.m. following prolonged heavy rains that began at approximately 5 p.m. on Saturday and continued until 3 a.m. the next day, according to a report from the Eastern Visayas Police Regional Office in Palo, Leyte.

The landslide hit Barangay San Ramon, an interior village located 40 kilometers from the town proper, where a viaduct is currently under construction to connect it to the neighboring village of Looc.

Police identified the missing individual as Dador Moscosa, 54, a foreman of 888 ACY Construction, the firm in charge of the infrastructure project.

Search and rescue operations have been launched by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, in coordination with local police, civilians, and village officials, to locate Moscosa, who is reportedly a resident of Samar province.

According to the report, the landslide damaged several properties, including two residential houses, multiple motorcycles, a cement mixer, a dump truck, and the construction workers’ barracks where Moscosa was reportedly sleeping when the landslide occurred.

Authorities said Moscosa was swept away by rampaging water triggered by the landslide. His coworkers and residents whose homes were affected managed to escape to safety.

READ: Nonstop rain triggers landslides in areas in Leyte

One individual, who has yet to be identified, sustained injuries during the incident, according to initial reports.

As a precautionary measure, families living near the affected area have been evacuated to nearby barangays, officials added./mcm