41 Apex mining workers missing

The MDRRMO Maco said additional disaster officials and agencies visited the Incident Command Post to extend augmentation needs, such as the Emergency Medical Services and Search and Rescue Teams

DAVAO CITY — The Eastern Mindanao Command on Wednesday revealed that 41 workers and employees of the Apex Mining Co. are still missing following the landslide that occurred in the area.

EastMinCom spokesperson Lt. Col. Rosa Ma. Cristina Rosete-Manuel also disclosed that 45 employees were also rescued from the total 86 employees that were buried in the landslide.

She added that of the rescued persons, three are in critical condition requiring urgent air evacuation while 42 others remain in an evacuation area.

“Efforts continue to locate and rescue the remaining 41 individuals, as declared by Apex Mines. At approximately 00:15 a.m., the rescue operation was halted under the direction of Congressman Ruel Gonzaga, Acting as Incident Post Commander, due to hazardous conditions and the deteriorating situation on the ground,” Manuel said.

Some 86 families, consisting of some 600 persons in neighboring communities, have been evacuated to safer locations but Manuel said that there are still reports of unaccounted individuals believed to be affected by the landslide.

Emergency communication teams from the Army’s 1001st Infantry Brigade have been deployed to establish radio contact within the affected vicinity and temporary command posts.

Meanwhile, Manuel said the Army’s 25th Infantry Battalion has also established a TCP at Tagbaros Patrol Base while the 1001st Brigade is coordinating efforts at the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Provincial Incident Command Post to provide disaster management assistance.

The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in Maco reported earlier that at least 11 people were injured from the landslide in Barangay Masara, Maco town where two buses were buried due to a rain-induced landslide.

The MDRRMO Maco said additional disaster officials and agencies visited the Incident Command Post to extend augmentation needs, such as the Emergency Medical Services and Search and Rescue Teams.

Initial reports disclosed that the continuous rain brought by the shear line and trough of the LPA caused the landslide.

Meantime, the Apex Mining said the landslide struck outside the mining village, where the vehicles waited for workers to finish shifts.