Philippines: Landslide in Davao de Oro Gold-Mining Village Kills 7, Injures 31

On Tuesday, at least seven people were killed, and 31 others were injured after a landslide buried two buses carrying passengers in the southern Philippines.

The incident occurred near a gold mining site in the mountain area of Masara, in Maco in Davao de Oro province, where the buses were picking up employees of the mining operator Apex Mining.

At Least 7 People Dead, 31 Injured in Landslide

(Photo : RENANTE NAPARAN/AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images)
This screengrab from AFPTV aerial video footage taken on February 7, 2024 shows the site of a landslide in Davao de Oro province on Mindanao island in the southern Philippines. At least five people were killed and 31 injured when a rain-induced landslide engulfed two buses and houses in a mountainous region of the southern Philippines, an official said on February 7.

The officials reported that the workers were being collected in four 60-seater buses along with a jeep, which had a capacity for 36 passengers.

According to Davao de Oro provincial spokesperson Edward Macapili, 27 miners waiting to be driven home in two buses were among the missing. Numerous miners managed to escape by jumping out of windows.

At least 31 residents who were injured in Tuesday's night landslide were rescued by army forces, police, and volunteers. The search was put on hold overnight due to concerns of more landslides, but officials confirmed it resumed on Wednesday.

The disaster response officials said more than 750 families had been relocated to evacuation facilities.

Macapili reported that the region has seen less intense rains in recent weeks, and the weather has been clear in previous days.

"It happened so fast," he said by phone. "They suddenly saw the landslide cascading directly toward them."

Earthquakes have destroyed buildings in the southeast in recent months. The disaster response officials said that landslides and flooding have killed over a dozen locals in recent weeks.

Philippines Floods, Landslides Kills 42

Philippine search and rescue teams recovered bodies from mud and water on Friday, raising the number of people killed in storm-related flooding and landslides to 42, with dozens more feared buried.

According to Naguib Sinarimbo, interior minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao (BARMM), at least eleven bodies were discovered in the southern province of Maguindanao, which was severely damaged by the approaching tropical storm Nalgae.

Sinarimbo said rescue and retrieval operations are temporarily suspended overnight and will resume on Saturday morning. The operation teams feared that more people were still trapped under mud and flood waters.

"Based on the assessment on the ground, at that specific site, there were many (who got buried). The number might hit 80, but we are hoping it won't reach that number," Sinarimbo said via phone.

The disaster officials reported that thousands of people have been evacuated from Nalgae's path. Nalgae is expected to land in Samar province in central Philippines on Friday night.

Furthermore, Sinarimbo said the rainfall in Maguindanao province had exceeded expectations. He added that preparations were made but said the rainfall was more than people had expected.

Images posted by the coast guard showed rescuers using rubber boats to reach people trapped in chest-deep waves in Sultan Kudarat, another province in the south.