4 dead in Cagayan de Oro City landslide amid Basyang

Four people were reported dead in a landslide in Cagayan de Oro City amid the onslaught of Tropical Storm Basyang, according to the Police Regional Office 10 (PRO10) on Friday.

PRO10 spokesperson Police Major Joan Navarro confirmed the information to GMA News Online in a text message.

Police received the report about the landslide at Zone-1 Sambulawan, Gabule Compound, Barangay Agusan around 12:01 a.m. 

According to the police report, a newly constructed house was involved in the landslide. The house’s structural pillars were weak, and continuous heavy rainfall caused the structure to collapse. 

A large pile of soil excavated during the house’s construction also eroded and fell onto the property, leading to the deaths of the victims.

Their bodies were turned over to their families, while other rescued family members were brought to an evacuation center for their safety, the police said.

In an update to reporters, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) deputy spokesperson Diego Agustin Mariano said the four fatalities belonged to one family including two adults and two children.

According to a report by GMA Regional TV's James Paolo Yap on "24 Oras" on Friday, the fatalities were a married couple and two children, ages 12 and 11 months. 

Two others were reportedly injured.

“Nawala talaga siya, hindi ako makapaniwala na mawawala siya… Kasi nagcha-chat pa kami nung gabi na iyon… Grabe ang sakit para sa akin sir, hindi ko alam. Walang mapaglagyan ang sakit na ito,” said  Roxanne Requinto, a sister of one of the fatalities.

(She’s really gone, I can’t believe that she would really be gone… because we were still chatting that night… It’s so painful for me, I don’t know. There’s no where for me to place this pain.)

“Pagpunta ko sa kanilang kwarto, pagtingin ko, wala na. Natabunan na talaga sila ng lupa… Tapos yung isa kong kapatid, paa na lang niya ang nakalabas. Tapos sipa siya nang sipa. Hinukay ko talaga siya,” said Roland, son of the adult victims.

(When I went to their room and looked, it was over. They were really buried… My other sibling, with only the foot visible, kept kicking. I really dug to save my sibling.)

Authorities are looking into whether the area devastated by the landslide is still safe to live in.

“Pina-imbestigahan natin sa barangay kasi kagabi, medyo maulan pa tapos sa ilang taong lumipas, walang ganitong insidente kaya pinaubaya natin sa barangay kung ano pa ang kanilang mas malalim na imbestigasyon,” said City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department chief Nick Jabagat.

(We are asking the barangay to investigate because yesterday, it was still rainy and it’s been years without this kind of incident so we are leaving it to the barangay to decide on what kind of further investigation they’re planning to conduct.)

Rescue operations were also conducted in Barangay Cugman, while roads in Barangay Bugo were submerged in floodwaters.

Impact

In its 8 a.m. report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said a total of 6,152 people or 1,848 families in Caraga were affected by Basyang.

Of the total affected population, 5,847 people or 1,710 families were staying in evacuation centers while 268 people or 101 families were taking shelter in other places.

Power outages were reported in three areas.

A total of 41 seaports in Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Caraga have suspended operations, leaving 2,024 passengers stranded.

Classes were suspended in 239 areas in Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, and Caraga. Work schedules were also suspended in 64 areas in Central Visayas and Caraga.

Assistance worth P246,585 has been provided to the victims so far, according to the NDRRMC. —with Jiselle Anne Casucian/VAL/VBL, GMA Integrated News