A devastating landfill collapse in the Philippines has left dozens missing, with rescue workers racing against time to find survivors. The incident, which occurred at the privately-owned Binaliw landfill in Cebu City, has left the community in a state of uncertainty and concern.
According to Mayor Nestor Archival, signs of life were detected at the site two days after the landslide, offering a glimmer of hope for those still missing. However, the situation is far from over. Conditions for emergency services are challenging, with unstable debris and the need for specialized equipment to navigate the hazardous environment.
The cause of the collapse remains unclear, but Cebu City councillor Joel Garganera suggests it may be linked to poor waste management practices. Operators had been cutting into the mountain, mining the soil, and then piling garbage to form another mountain of waste, a practice that could have contributed to the instability of the site.
The Binaliw landfill is approximately 15 hectares in size, and the search for those missing is ongoing. Relatives of the missing have been anxiously awaiting news, with more than 30 people, all workers at the landfill, believed to be unaccounted for.
'We are just hoping that we can get someone alive... We are racing against time, that's why our deployment is 24/7,' Cebu City councillor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the city's disaster council, told AFP news agency.
The situation is controversial, as the cause of the collapse and the responsibility for the incident remain unclear. It raises questions about the safety of similar landfill sites in the region and the impact of waste management practices on the environment and public safety.
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