Landslides kill 10 people near Nueva Vizcaya mining site

Ten people have died following landslides near a mining site in Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Friday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo DZBB, Police Colonel Ranser Evasco, Provincial Director of Nueva Vizcaya Police, said they received a report on Thursday that soil erosion occurred in three sitios in Barangay Runruno.

Evasco said authorities immediately recovered five bodies on the same day, but five others were missing.

Search and rescue operation resumed on Friday, where three bodies were recovered at dawn, while two others were found after noon.

"Bale tatlong landslide po 'yan at tatlong sitio pero iisang barangay, 'yung Barangay Runruno," Evasco said.

"Talagang ang Barangay Runruno ay bulubunduikin po ito. Meron pong FCF Minerals po dito," Evasco added, saying that gold was being mined at the area.

However, the Nueva Vizcaya Police Provincial Director dissociated the landslides with the mining operation, as he said it was due to the saturated land due to Typhoon Ulysses.

"Bundok po ang gumuho at tuloy-tuloy po for the past weeks ang ulan so na-saturate po, bumigay po 'yung bundok," Evasco said.

"Nag-evacuate po kasi 'yung iba before po noong dumating 'yung bagyo. At ito po 'yung mga naiwan or bumalik doon sa kanilang bahay. Nagkataon po na gumuho 'yung bundok. 'Yun nga po ang nangyari," he added.

Three houses were covered by the landslides.—Jamil Santos/LDF, GMA News