The death toll from the Binaliw landfill collapse has risen to 12 as search and rescue operations continue, with authorities still working to retrieve one more victim buried beneath the rubble.
Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), confirmed that 11 bodies have been recovered so far. Another victim, however, remains trapped under tons of waste.
“As of now, we’ve retrieved 11 bodies, but there is still one that needs to be recovered,” Tumulak said. “We are hoping that we can bring everyone home.”
Despite the ongoing recovery efforts, 25 individuals are still missing, while 18 others have been hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the collapse.
Tumulak explained that initial reports had indicated 12 victims were hospitalized, but later data revealed that six more injured workers had been transported to hospitals privately, including by motorcycles, in the chaotic aftermath.
“The total number of hospitalized victims now stands at 18,” he said.
The latest recoveries occurred over the past two days, including the retrieval of two bodies on Monday afternoon and one more early Tuesday.
Among the victims recovered were a 48-year-old woman and a 57-year-old woman, both found on Monday, and a 50-year-old woman retrieved on Tuesday morning.
The 12th confirmed fatality remains trapped in the rubble, and efforts continue despite difficult and hazardous conditions at the site.
Authorities emphasized that search operations are still in the rescue phase, as the possibility of survival, albeit slim, has not been ruled out.
“We are not calling it purely retrieval yet. To do so would be unfair to the families. We are still hoping for a miracle,” Tumulak said. “The rescuers understand the families’ agony and that’s what keeps them going.”
Rescue operations face significant challenges, as heavy equipment and rain-soaked ground make it difficult to search effectively.
Detecting signs of life has become increasingly difficult, but the rescuers continue to press on, driven by empathy for the families awaiting news of their loved ones.
“We know what the families are going through,” Tumulak said. “This gives our rescuers the strength to continue.”
In response to the disaster, Prime Waste Solutions Cebu, the landfill operator, has committed to covering the medical expenses of the injured and assisting the families of the deceased.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued a cease-and-desist order, temporarily halting operations at the landfill as investigations into the cause of the collapse are underway. (LLP)
Photo by Dave Tumulak
