By Manny Mogato, News5 editor-at-large
(February 13, 2024) – The death toll in the rain-induced landslide in Maco town, Davao de Oro, rose to 71 people, the military said on Tuesday.
Brigadier General Ronnie Babac, commander of the Army’s 1001st brigade, told a phone interview there was a slim chance of finding a survivor almost a week after the tragedy.
“I was informed that the shift to search and retrieval was effective today,” said Babac, adding about 50 people were still unaccounted for.
Nine body parts were also recovered under tons of soil and boulders that rumbled down from an active volcano that last erupted more than 100 years ago.
Leah Añora of the Department of Interior and Local Government reported similar deaths. However, she said there were only 47 missing.
The emergency workers again shifted to search and retrieval operations.
“During search and rescue, there is a very high possibility of finding survivors, so the search is very careful,” said Babac.
Babac said the search was suspended on Monda due to a small landslide.
“The risk is high…As of now, the effort is temporarily on hold, according to the ground commander,” said Babac.
Major Mark Anthony Tito, spokesman of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, said 197 Army soldiers and 18 military trucks are involved in the search and retrieval operation.
Tito said the number includes soldiers from the 525th Engineering Battalion deployed to the ground zero last Sunday.
“Our operation is continuing in support of the incident command center,” said Tito, adding the military effort will continue unless there is an order from higher authorities to stop.
In Manila, the Armed Forces spokeswoman, Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla, said: “In terms of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, all hands are on deck.”
Padilla said the military is not only involved in locating the missing victims but also in assisting thousands of people who were affected by the disaster.
“We continue our HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief) to help our “kababayans,” who were affected by the landslide,” said Padilla.
Padilla said two US C-130 planes were also helping transport relief goods to the landslide victims.
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