2 BUSES FERRYING MINERS TRAPPED IN DAVAO DE ORO LANDSLIDE

TWO buses carrying employees of a mining company on Tuesday night (February 6, 2024) were trapped in a landslide in Maco, Davao de Oro.

According to the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom), the buses were ferrying more than 80 employees of the Apex Mining Company when the incident happened.

As of Wednesday afternoon, six people were reported killed, 31 were rescued while 46 are still missing.

The landslide occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in a mountainous area in Zone 1, Bgy. Masara outside the mining site of Apex Mining Co. Inc..

The buses were waiting for the company employees who were about to go home when the landslide occurred.

Acording to Jiesyl Mae Tan, information officer of the Incident Command Post-Incident Management Team (ICP-IMT) in Maco, as of 2 p.m. on Wednesday, six dead bodies were recovered from under the mud and 31 were rescued.

She added that 46 others are still missing.

The landslide also affected hundreds of families living in the area. They are now in an evacuation center.

EastMinCom spokesperson Lt. Col. Rosa Ma. Cristina Rosete-Manuel said of the rescued miners and employees, three are in serious condition and had to be airlifted to Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City via a Sikorsky helicopter from the Philippine Air Force (PAF). 

The search and rescue operation was halted around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday under the direction of Davao de Oro Congressman Ruwel Peter Gonzaga, the acting incident post commander, “due to hazardous conditions and the deteriorating situation on the ground.”

The EastMinCom spokesperson said efforts resumed at daybreak to locate and rescue the remaining people trapped by the landslide.

Manuel said emergency communication teams from the Philippine Army’ (PAs) 1001^st Infantry Brigade have been deployed to establish radio contact within the affected vicinity and temporary command posts (TCPs)

She added that the PAs 25^th Infantry Battalion has also established a TCP at  Tagbaros Patrol Base while the 1001^st Brigade is coordinating efforts at the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Provincial Incident Command Post to provide disaster management assistance.

“Rescue teams are on standby in various locations near the incident site,” Manuel said, adding that 14 military vehicles have been mobilized to support rescue operations, alongside other vehicles from various organizations and government agencies.

She added that some heavy equipment from Apex Mining are also on standby to help in the rescue operation.

Prior to the landslide, a large part of Mindanao, including Davao de Oro, experienced rains since January 28 due to the combined effects of the trough of a low pressure area and the northeast monsoon or amihan.