5 confirmed dead in Bukidnon landslide

MALAYBALAY City, Philippines—Five persons were confirmed dead when a landslide hit a road in the hinterland village of Lumbayao in Valencia City in Bukidnon Monday morning.

Dr. Vincent Raguro, a member of the provincial health team, said five bodies have so far been recovered from the landslide site.

Raguro, however, could not say if more people were buried in mud.

Major Eugene Osias, spokesman of the military’s 4th Infantry Division, said government troops were still digging the landslide site where more people were feared buried, as of Monday afternoon.

Osias said troops from San Fernando town, nearer to the Lumbayao than the city proper, reported that at least five motorcycles for hire were passing through the dirt road when the landslide struck at around 7 a.m. It was not clear how many passengers the motorcycles had when disaster struck.

Osias said troops in San Fernando town were ordered to pool their resources to help in the search-and-rescue operations.