The death toll in the landslide in Maco, Davao de Oro has risen to 10, while 49 others are feared buried under the ground.
According to the provincial government, “We have recorded that ten (10) bodies have been recovered from the landslide and thirty-one (31) injured persons have been rescued. ”
Part of the mountain collapsed Tuesday night, covering a bus parking lot, a barangay hall, and several houses in Zone 1 Barangay Masara in Maco town.
The incident happened near a mining site that has three shifts working for its 24-hour operation. Among those covered were some workers who were going home in two buses.
Apart from the estimated 30 workers on board the two buses, some residents in the area are also feared buried in the ground.
The search for victims will be difficult due to the extent of the area affected by the landslide.
Aside from the casualties in the landslide in Maco, 21 casualties were also recorded due to floods, drowning, and landslides in other areas of Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte, according to the provincial disaster risk reduction and management offices.
The tragedy was caused by several days of rain in the Mindanao area caused by the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan and trough of a low-pressure area (LPA), according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
It affected Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, Caraga and Bangsamoro regions.
10 confirmed dead in Davao de Oro landslide; 49 missing
A state of calamity was declared in the province of Agusan del Sur and the town of Lingig in Surigao del Sur.
Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon, known as amihan, will influence the far north of Luzon, while the easterly winds will impact the rest of the Philippines, according to PAGASA. Expect overcast weather and light showers in Batanes and Cagayan, but nothing severe.
Expect mostly cloudy skies with occasional light showers in Ilocos, Cordillera, and parts of Cagayan Valley, as the northeast monsoon brings minimal effects.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the easterlies. Localized thunderstorms will also occur, with flash floods or landslides possibly occurring during severe thunderstorms.
The wind speed forecast for Northern Luzon is moderate to strong, moving northeastward, while coastal waters will be moderate to rough.
The rest of the country will experience light to moderate wind speed moving in the east to northeast direction, while coastal waters will be slight to moderate.
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