Death toll in Cebu landfill landslide rises to six

The number of fatalities in a landslide in a landfill in Cebu City rose to six on Sunday, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) - Cebu City.

Meanwhile, 31 remained missing, it said.

A total of 12 individuals were rescued, all of them injured, BFP-Cebu City added.

Search, rescue, and retrieval operations continued on Sunday at the site of the landslide in Barangay Binaliw, it said.

Authorities are using a backhoe to clear the area.

The Cebu City Public Information Office also said a 50-ton crane “will be utilized for heavy lifting and debris-clearing operations to help accelerate rescue activities at the site," GMA Regional TV reported.

"Response teams remain on high alert and committed to exhausting all efforts to locate the missing and ensure the safety of everyone involved. Continuous updates will be provided as operations progress," BFP-Cebu City said.

The landslide occurred at a waste management facility of Prime Waste Solutions Cebu in Barangay Binaliw at around 4 p.m. Thursday.

The Cebu City Public Information Office also said rescue teams from APEX Mining in Davao de Oro have arrived to provide additional manpower and technical expertise.

Aside from BFP-Cebu City, the Joint Task Group Cebu (JTG Cebu), the 53rd Engineer Brigade (53EBde) of the Philippine Army, the Tactical Operations Wing Central (TOWCEN), and the 560th Air Base Group of the Philippine Air Force deployed by the Visayas Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines are also helping city personnel and other agencies in the search and rescue operations. —KG, GMA Integrated News