Hopes of finding survivors are fading after a massive mountain of waste collapsed in the central Philippines, as rescue workers continue to search through tons of rubble.
The recovery of a body on Sunday raised the confirmed death toll to seven people, while at least 29 individuals remain missing, as the crucial 72-hour window since the landslide occurred in Cebu City has passed.
Approximately 50 sanitation workers were buried on Thursday when a 20-story-high waste mountain collapsed at the Binaliw landfill, a private facility for the city’s waste, which has a population of nearly one million.
Waste Mountain Collapse
A local fire official stated, “We detected two signs of life yesterday using our specialized radar. There were heartbeats at a depth of 30 meters under the rubble, but there are no reports of that now.”
It is unlikely there will be any survivors after three days of being buried under tons of debris and waste, according to the official.
So far, 12 workers have been pulled alive from under the rubble and taken to the hospital.
An official from the rescue teams said on Saturday that emergency personnel faced the risk of an additional collapse because the waste mountain is still shifting, forcing them to suspend their efforts. The official added that rain has increased this danger.
