Rescue teams in the central Philippines were racing against time on Friday to search for at least 34 people missing after a massive mound of garbage collapsed at a landfill in Cebu City, killing at least one person and trapping dozens of sanitation workers.
The avalanche of trash and debris struck a waste segregation facility in the Binaliw area on Thursday afternoon, burying several buildings and nearly 50 workers, according to local officials. Thirteen people were rescued overnight and are receiving treatment in hospital, reports dw.com
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said there were “signs of life” at the site, adding that around 500 additional rescue workers would join hundreds already deployed to continue search efforts, which are expected to run through the weekend.
Heavy machinery and excavators are being used to clear the debris, but rescue operations are being hampered by the risk of methane gas explosions, limiting the type of equipment that can be safely deployed. Anxious relatives gathered at the site, awaiting updates as teams worked to locate those trapped beneath the trash heap.
City officials said the garbage mound was estimated to be as high as four storeys and that several structures used as company offices, administrative facilities and maintenance areas were flattened. One of the buildings hit was a sorting warehouse used to separate recyclable waste. It remains unclear whether nearby homes were also affected.
The cause of the collapse is still under investigation. Officials noted that the area was not experiencing heavy rain at the time of the incident, but Cebu had been hit by two typhoons in the second half of last year, as well as an earthquake, which may have contributed to ground instability.
The disaster has once again highlighted long-standing concerns over open dump sites in the Philippines, particularly in areas close to poorer communities where residents often scavenge for recyclable materials and food. The incident recalls the deadly 2000 landfill collapse in metropolitan Manila that killed more than 210 people and prompted reforms to waste management laws.
