2 kids rescued from DavOr rubble
The Maco local government reported 15 confirmed fatalities as of Friday afternoon, with the verification ongoing.
Rescue workers continued their search for survivors of a landslide in Davao de Oro province on Friday, miraculously finding two young children alive three days after the disaster.
A three-year-old girl and a two-month-old boy were pulled from the rubble in the town of Maco, offering a glimmer of hope amid the tragedy.
Provincial disaster official Edward Macipili described the children’s rescue as a “miracle,” praising their resilience compared to adults. A video circulated online showed a rescuer carrying the crying mud-covered little girl.
Both children were transported to the Doctors Community Hospital in Mawab by the Philippine Red Cross Emergency Medical Services team.
The Maco local government reported 15 confirmed fatalities as of Friday afternoon, with the verification ongoing. Additionally, 31 individuals were injured and 110 remained missing.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction Managament Council reported that over 1,250 families totaling 5,227 individuals were affected by the landslide. At least 62 houses were damaged. Classes and work were suspended.
The landslide struck in Barangay Masara on Tuesday night, burying two buses filled with mine workers. The landslide was believed caused by heavy rain associated with a low pressure area.
Mining operator Apex Mining clarified that the landslide occurred outside its area, where the vehicles awaited employees finishing their shift.
Authorities ordered evacuations from several nearby villages and search and rescue operations continued involving local and national agencies, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Philippine Army, and Apex Mining’s rescue team.