CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES: Tragedy struck in the central Philippines as the death toll from a landfill collapse has now reached four, according to officials on Saturday. Rescue operations are still under way for many individuals who are unaccounted for.
The incident occurred at the Binaliw landfill in Cebu City on Thursday, where 110 workers were present at the time. The collapse caused significant damage to structures and facilities within the landfill.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival updated the public via a Facebook post, confirming that four people have died and that another twelve have been hospitalized. He mentioned that signs of life have been detected in certain areas, prompting teams to proceed with careful excavation and to use a specialized 50-ton crane in their efforts.
As of a Friday report, 36 workers remain missing, but there has been no immediate update on that number since. Family members of those missing continue to hold out hope for their safe return.
One of the families affected, Jerahmey Espinoza, shared her anguish as her husband is among the missing. She visited the landfill searching for him and expressed her hope, saying, “We’re still hopeful that he’s alive.”
