Family of nine, including three children, buried in QC landslide 

The unrelenting rainfall in Metro Manila triggered a landslide in Quezon City Tuesday morning, killing a family of nine, including two children and a month-old baby.

 

The fatalities were identified as Cecilia Baylon, 19; Jessica Baylon, 23; Jayvee Baylon, 20; Jethro Baylon, 18; Jayson Baylon, 14;  Jezelle Joy Baylon, 6; Jonathan Castulo, 3; Joshua Castulo, 2; and month-old Jonica Castulo.

 

The landslide also injured three others, who were subsequently brought to the East Avenue Medical Center. They were identified as Lidalyn Simbulan, 40; Ma. Lezlyn Simbulan, 19; and Jessie Baylon, 24.

 

Quezon City Police District director Chief Supt. Mario De la Vega confirmed the casualty list in a text message to GMA News Online. He added that the bodies were retrieved between 2 and 3 p.m. Tuesday

 

De la Vega said his information came from spot reports from QC Police Station Six (Batasan).

 

An earlier report said the landslide buried at least four houses near the Litex Road in Commonwealth village in Quezon City’s Fairview area.

 

At around 5 p.m. the rescue teams involved in the search, involving the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Red Cross, and Philippine Army, had stopped looking for other possible victims.

 

Conflicting reports of the number of people still trapped under the rubble, if there still are at all, were cited as the reason for the temporary halt in the search efforts. 

 

Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon have been experiencing intense rainfall and heavy flooding since Monday night, forcing several residents to evacuate their homes. — DVM, GMA News