A mountain of rubbish collapsed at a landfill in the central Philippines on Thursday, killing a 22-year-old woman and leaving more than 30 people missing, authorities have said.
Rescuers pulled 12 injured sanitation workers from debris at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City, who were later hospitalized.
Many of the missing are believed to be workers at the landfill. The mayor of Cebu told news outlet ABS-CBN that it may be difficult to reach survivors because of the potential for further collapse.
The cause of the collapse is still unclear, but Cebu City councillor Joel Garganera said it was likely the result of poor waste management practices.
Some 300 people from various government agencies and civilian groups have been deployed to the privately-owned landfill to assist in the recovery effort. Several excavators, ambulances, and fire trucks have also been seen on site.
In a Facebook post, Cebu Mayor Nestor Archival affirmed the commitment of all response teams engaged in search and retrieval efforts to locate the remaining missing persons.
This is not like other landslides that you can just excavate. If you pull from the top, the bottom is soft. Let's say there is a person there, when you get the debris, it might get worse, he explained, citing the unique challenges posed by the landfill's conditions.
Authorities have reported that operators had been illegally mining the landfill, exacerbating its instability. Garganera stressed that this was not a sanitary landfill, but an open dumpsite.
Families of workers are anxiously awaiting updates; one resident recounted being told their relatives were calling for help from beneath the debris.
The Binaliw landfill covers approximately 15 hectares (37 acres) and is typical of the waste management issues faced in major Philippine cities.
