3 generations of family die in Baguio landslide

A landslide in Baguio City devastated an entire family after members across three generations died in the tragedy.

In a 24 Oras report from Marisol Abdurahman on Tuesday, at least 10 people were killed when a landslide struck Barangay Guisad Surong on Monday. Seven of the victims, including a senior citizen, were from one family.

By 1:00 a..m, rescuers found a 60-year-old grandfather in the collapsed ground. An hour later, rescuers also found his eight-year-old granddaughter, Elisha Grace. Elisha was the last person missing among the landslide victims.

Elisha’s father, Jerwin Tiam, is in mourning. Tiam was injured during the landslide, but he was able to escape with his live-in partner and youngest child.

Shortly before the calamity, Elisha was crying, saying she wanted to evacuate.

“Ang sabi lang namin, ‘okay lang 'yan anak. Kapag may kumalabog kaunti, siguro makakatakbo tayo’,” Tiam said. (We just said ‘it’s okay child. If something crashes, maybe we could still run.)

Among the victims from the family were five children.

The youngest fatality was two-years-old, who was found alongside the remains of the child’s mother.

Despite the tragedy, responders were able to rescue three residents from the landslide. They were also able to rescue a pet dog.

As members of the community grieve their lost loved ones, they also have to face the need to leave their destroyed homes. The survivors are currently staying in an evacuation center.

Myrna Soriano, one of the evacuees, said that she remains worried because she had to leave her livelihood behind.

Baguio City Police Office City Director P/Colonel Ruel Tagel said people’s concerns for their belongings remain a challenge in evacuations.

“When we do the forced evacuation, we assure them that we secure the property just to convince them to go to the evacuation area,” Tagel said in a mix of English and Tagalog.

Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong said that the site of the landslide will now be declared as a no-build-zone as a safety precaution. —Jean Mangaluz/RF, GMA News