CEBU CITY: The death toll from the Binaliw landfill collapse in Cebu City, in the Philippines, has risen to six, after rescuers recovered two more bodies on Sunday (Jan 11) amid the ongoing dangers faced by search and rescue teams at the hazardous site.
According to Cebu City Councillor David Tumulak, rescuers recovered two female victims between 1am and 6am, adding that both had already been located on Jan 10, but hazardous conditions delayed their extraction. Large beams had collapsed on top of them, complicating retrieval efforts.
As at 4pm on Jan 11, six fatalities have been confirmed, 12 people with injuries have been rescued and 31 remain missing.
Rescuers continued to face multiple risks at the site, including heavy rainfall that further increased the dangers, explained Tumulak, who chairs the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
“The first challenge is the health hazard, particularly the foul smell from the garbage. Second is the presence of methane gas underneath the landfill. Third is the steel debris mixed with heavily compacted waste. This is not just metal that can be easily cut through,” he told the Inquirer.
“Rain is another major concern. That is what we are really worried about,” he added.
Beyond physical hazards, the psychological toll on responders is “significant”, the councillor said, noting that they witnessed the anguish of families waiting for news of their loved ones.
“The emotional and psychological distress on our rescuers is real, especially when they see families desperate to recover their loved ones,” Tumulak said.
He said city officials, together with Mayor Nestor Archival, have been urging rescue teams to prioritise safety while retrieving victims.
“The operation will continue. Our responders are still eager, especially now that additional heavy equipment, such as a boom truck, has arrived,” Tumulak said.
To prevent exhaustion and minimise risk, rescuers were deployed in shifts.
“They work on-site for one hour, then leave the area for another hour to rest, to minimise health risks given how hazardous the site is,” Tumulak noted.
Despite the dangers, the official said teams remained hopeful that more survivors may still be found, while ensuring that responders themselves safely exit the site alive.
On Jan 8, a mound of garbage at the materials recovery facility collapsed while at least 100 workers were in the area.
Earlier, Cebu City Councillor Joel Garganera said the pileup of garbage had far exceeded safety limits and prolonged heavy rainfall could have weakened the stability of the garbage mound, as accumulated rubbish tends to absorb water like a sponge.
Garganera, chair of the city council’s environment committee, explained that even mountains of soil and rock can experience landslides, and a mountain of garbage is even more prone to collapse.
He noted that waste absorbs water, softens when mixed with soil, and becomes increasingly unstable over time, particularly when piled too high. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
