Search and rescue ops continue for Davao de Oro landslide victims

The search and rescue operations for those missing in the landslide in Maco, Davao de Oro continued on Saturday with additional personnel taking part, a local official said.

"Today po, search and rescue pa rin po. May mga nadagdag na rescuers," Edward Macapili, executive assistant for Communications and Public Information of the Davao de Oro local government unit, said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(Today, it's still search and rescue. More rescuers were added.)

After a three-year-old girl was rescued on Friday, authorities decided to continue with search and rescue instead of shifting to search and retrieval, Macapili said.

"Effective yesterday, na-extend ng another 48 hours ang search and rescue...May isang bata na 60 hours na natabunan ang nailigtas," he added.

(Effective yesterday, the search and rescue was extended for another 48 hours. One child was found alive after 60 hours.)

"According to the report of the rescuer, mayroong K9 na ginamit. Natunton ng K9 ang bata. Ginamitan ng manual na panghukay ng rescuer. With the help of the K9, natunton ang bata at nakuha, at buhay na buhay after 60 hours," Macapili said.

(According to the report of the rescuer, a K9 was used. The K9 found the child. The rescuer used a manual digging tool. With the help of the K9, the rescuers got the child, very much alive after 60 hours.)

Macapili added that the child was met at the hospital by the father. Rescuers are still searching for the mother and sibling of the child.

The landslide happened on Tuesday night outside a gold mining site, burying homes, including three buses and a jeep that were supposed to ferry employees of the mining company.

Macapili said disaster officials could not attribute the landslide to mining because no tunnel bogged down. Instead, days of heavy rains from a shear line and the trough of a low pressure area made the ground soft.

"Basang basa pa ang ilalim ng lupa," Macapili said.

(The soil was very wet.)

"Sa kapal ng lupa na nakatabon sa mga biktima, [pahirapan ang isinasagawang search, rescue operation]... Nag-iingat din ang mga rescuer sa paggamit ng heavy equipment dahil baka may tamaan sa mga biktima," he added.

(Due to the volume of soil that fell on the victims, [it is difficult to conduct search, rescue operation]. Rescuers are also careful in using heavy equipment because victims might be hit.)

The area where the landslide occurred has already been declared a no-build zone, local authorities previously said.

"Noong 2007 at 2008, nagkaroon na ng landslide diyan. Dahil dito, idineklara na ito na 'no-build zone'. Binigyan ng relocation site ang mga tao diyan pero dahan-dahan ding bumalik," Macapili said.

(In 2007 and 2008, landslides occurred in the area. The area was then declared a 'no-build zone'. The people living in the area were given a relocation site but they slowly went back.) —KG, GMA Integrated News