2 coal miners buried in landslide in Zamboanga Sibugay

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Two coal miners are feared dead after a mine tunnel in Imelda town in Zamboanga Sibugay was hit by a landslide on Thursday. 

Richard Atayde and Wilfredo Fuentes failed to emerge from the tunnel in Purok 1, Barangay Gandingan, Inspector Helen Galvez, Zamboanga peninsula police spokesperson, said. 

Senior Inspector Xyronne Caronan, town police chief, said the miners ignored the advice of their colleagues and authorities to leave the area amid heavy rains. 

“It was too late because continuous rains triggered flash floods and inundated the  tunnel,” Caronan said.  

He said search and rescue operations for the miners are ongoing.