Philippines landslide: 54 people confirmed dead in a landslide that buried gold-mining village

Rescuers recover bodies at the landslide-hit village of Maco in Davao de Oro province, southern Philippines. Photo / AP

The death toll from a massive landslide that hit a gold-mining village in the southern Philippines has risen to 54 with 63 people still missing, authorities said on Sunday.

The landslide hit the mountain village of Masara in Davao de Oro province on Tuesday night after weeks of torrential rains.

Army troops, police and volunteers rescued 31 residents who were injured when the landslide hit the mountain village. The search resumed on Wednesday after it was suspended overnight due to fears of more landslides, officials said.

Soldiers carry a landslide victim as they arrive at Tagum City, Davao del Norte province, southern Philippines. Photo / AP

Davao de Oro’s provincial government said in a Facebook post that 54 bodies had been recovered. At least 32 residents survived with injuries but 63 remained missing, it said. Among those missing were gold miners who had been waiting in two buses to be driven home when the landslide struck and buried them.

The search operation has been hampered by poor weather and fears of more landslides. More than 1100 families have been moved to evacuation centres for their safety, disaster response officials said.

Among the missing miners who had been waiting in two buses to be driven home when the landslide hit, Davao de Oro provincial spokesperson Edward Macapili said. Several miners jumped out windows or dashed away and survived.

Rescuers carry a body they recovered at the landslide-hit village of Maco in Davao de Oro province, southern Philippines. Photo / AP

“It happened so fast,” he said by phone. “They suddenly saw the landslide cascading directly toward them.”

The area has been swamped by heavy rains in the weeks before the landslide struck. Earthquakes also damaged houses and buildings in the region in recent months, officials said.