Landslide buries DPWH building; 30 feared dead

MANILA, Philippines — At least 30 persons are feared dead after a landslide buried a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) building in Mountain Province at the height of Typhoon Rosita yesterday afternoon.

Mud, rocks and boulders totally covered the building, which allegedly served as an evacuation center for an undetermined number of villagers and DPWH personnel on duty, in Sitio Imisan, Barangay Alonogan in Natonin town at around 4 p.m.

The building housed the DPWH’s Mountain Province Second District Engineering Office in the Cordillera Autonomous Region.

The bodies of three persons were initially recovered by emergency responders but the Cordillera police identified only farmer Jeffrey Salag-ey Nagawa, 40.

Initial reports said rescue operations for those trapped in the building were put on hold due to heavy rains and flooding in the area.

Meanwhile, five-year-old Sotera Giwagiw Galo died while her mother Charity Galo was hurt when their house was buried in another landslide in Mabilong, Lubuagan town in Kalinga at around 5:10 p.m. yesterday.  

Farmer Baltazar Pinay, 48; and his three children Rexibelle, 12; Rhezel, 10; and Rydbell, 8, were also killed when a landslide buried their house in Sitio Higib in Batad, Banaue in Ifugao province at around 1:30 p.m.

Their bodies were retrieved at around 7 p.m. and brought to a relative’s house in Sitio Bobloy, also in Batad.

Cordillera police confirmed that Stephen Wangdali, 22, was buried in a landslide in Sitio Fotay, Barangay Lias Silangan in Barlig, Mountain Province at around 2 p.m.

Vedancio Vicencio Villaruz was reported missing when he was swept away by strong currents while crossing the swollen Binogan River in Poblacion Lacub, Abra yesterday morning.