In the southern Philippines, a landslide involving two buses transporting workers from a mining company resulted in the disappearance of at least 41 people and the rescue of 45 others. The military reported the numbers on a Wednesday briefing. The Eastern Mindanao Command, which covers the area where the avalanche occurred, said three of the survivors were seriously injured in a social media update released today by its team on the ground.
The incident unfolded at about 19:30 local time on a Tuesday in the mountainous area of Davao de Oro province on Mindanao after days of heavy rain across the region. Municipal emergency teams were dispatched to the site to assist in freeing trapped workers, according to a notice from Talaingod municipality’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management office posted on its Facebook page.
Apex Mining, the company employing many of the trapped workers, confirmed that the accident happened near a mining operation where buses were waiting to transport employees. The firm added that rescue efforts faced challenges from low visibility and intermittent landslides as conditions persisted in the area, complicating the operation on the ground.
A persistent heavy rainstorm has triggered avalanches and floods across the southern Philippines since January 28. Officials report that the weather system has affected multiple Mindanao regions, including Davao province. The latest tally from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council records at least 18 fatalities and 11 injuries across various incidents on the island, underscoring the ongoing risk posed by continuous rainfall and unstable terrain.