Death toll in Itogon landslide rises to 42 as of Saturday afternoon

Three more bodies were pulled out from the landslide area in Itogon, Benguet on Saturday, in addition to the seven recovered before noon, bringing the death toll to 42 before the sixth day of search and retrieval operations drew to a close.

According to a report by Mark Makalalad on Super Radyo dzBB, the three were the latest remains retrieved at a collapsed mining site at Barangay Ucab in Itogon.

Authorities ended Saturday's search, rescue, and retrieval operations earlier than usual due to rains in the area.

Dalawa pang bangkay, nakuha sa gumuhong minahan sa Brgy. Ucab, Itogon, Benguet; bilang ng nahukay na bangkay, umakyat na sa 41. | via @MMakalalad pic.twitter.com/EWRw3vB7U6

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) September 22, 2018

At the close of the retrieval operation on Friday night, the death toll was at 32, as the search, rescue, and retrieval operations on the massive landslide entered its sixth day.

Before Saturday noon, seven more bodies were recovered from the area bringing the death toll to 39.

The two newly-recovered bodies from Barangay Ucab had yet to be identified as of the report.

Saturday was the seventh day of search, rescue and retrieval operations since the massive landslide hit the mining area and buried houses on Saturday

Heavy equipment, including four backhoes, have been positioned at the area to help with the ongoing operations.

Officials supervising the operations said that 90 people would take shifts with 30 at a time at ground zero. Heavy equipment, including four backhoes, have also arrived at the area.

Some of the workers are still hopeful that more survivors would be found. — Margaret Claire Layug/MDM, GMA News