A devastating collapse at a major landfill in the Philippines has resulted in tragedy, leaving at least one person dead and dozens more missing. The incident, which saw a mountain of garbage give way, buried sanitation workers at the site in Cebu City on Thursday afternoon.
Chaos and Rescue at Bianliw Landfill
The disaster struck at the Bianliw Landfill in Cebu, a densely populated city and popular tourist hub in the central Philippines. Dozens of workers were on site when a massive section of accumulated trash, and possibly structures within the dump, suddenly crashed down upon them. Videos from the scene, shared by local media and on social platforms, depicted a scene of utter chaos as emergency teams scrambled to reach those trapped beneath the debris.
As of 7:20 AM local time on Friday, 12 workers had been successfully rescued from under the mountain of waste. The search for the remaining missing individuals continues intensively. The rescued are currently receiving medical care, with seven admitted to the Visayas Medical Center and five at the NorthGen Hospital.
Official Response and Support for Families
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has mobilized multiple agencies for the rescue mission. In a statement on Friday, he outlined measures to support the affected families. Temporary shaded areas have been set up near the accident site for relatives awaiting news.
"Dedicated personnel will be assigned to provide hourly updates to the families of victims to ensure timely, accurate, and transparent information," Mayor Archival stated. He confirmed the deceased was a 22-year-old female worker, and her family has been offered burial assistance and other support.
Cause of Collapse Remains Unclear
The trigger for the catastrophic failure of the landfill slope is still under investigation. Authorities have confirmed that there was no heavy rain at the time, which often contributes to such incidents. Marge Parcotello, a civilian staff member with the local police in Consolacion town adjacent to the dump site, expressed the confusion, stating, "We don't know what caused the collapse. It wasn't raining at all."
Mayor Archival assured the public and the grieving families of the government's full commitment. "The City Government assures... that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure safety, transparency, accountability, and compassionate assistance as operations continue," he said, promising further updates as the situation develops.
