Death toll in Philippines landfill collapse reaches 4, dozens still trapped | News

Dozens of rescuers are racing against time to find other survivors in the rubble of twisted tin roofs and piles of trash and combustible debris.

The death toll from a landfill collapse in the central Philippines has risen to four, an official said, as rescue efforts continue for dozens of people missing.

THE Binaliw Landfill in the central city of Cebu collapsed on Thursday, with 110 workers on site at the time. Several structures and facilities inside the landfill were damaged during the collapse.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said in a Facebook post on Saturday that the death toll rose to four and 12 others were sent to hospitals.

So far, 36 people were missing, according to Friday’s count. An update on the number of missing was not immediately available.

The families of the missing workers remained hopeful Saturday that they would be found alive.

Jerahmey Espinoza, whose husband was among the missing, went to the dump in hopes of finding him. “They haven’t seen or located him since the disaster. We still hope he’s alive,” Espinoza said.

Dozens of rescuers, including police, firefighters and disaster response personnel, raced against time to find other survivors in dangerous conditions among the rubble of twisted tin roofs, iron bars and piles of trash and combustible debris.

“Authorities have confirmed the presence of signs of life detected in specific areas, necessitating continued careful searches and the deployment of a more advanced 50-ton crane, which is on its way under police escort,” Cebu Mayor Nestor Archival said in a statement.

“Responder safety remains paramount due to hazards such as unstable debris and acetylene hazards, requiring security perimeter adjustments and controlled access,” Archival said.

The four dead, including an engineer and an office worker, were all employees of the landfill and waste management center which employs 110 people, according to the mayor and police.

It remains unclear what caused the mountain of rubble to collapse, but a survivor told the Associated Press news agency on Friday that it happened in an instant, without any warning, despite the rather mild weather at the time.