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Survivors say Philippines' landslide buried over 60 people
Source: Xinhua |
April 24, 2011, Sunday
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Online Edition
Online Edition
SURVIVORS of the avalanche of mud in Philippines said today over 60 people were buried alive in Friday's landslide, and the number could be higher than what authorities had thought of.
Lambert Detros, 47, a small scale miner who suffered bruises and was confined at a local hospital, told Xinhua today that more than 60 people sleeping in tents were on site when the tragedy occurred.
"More than 60 people were in the area when the landslide happened. I saw them before night time," Detros said in Filipino.
"Stones rolling from hill woke me up. I look from my tent's window and saw mud everywhere. I hurriedly ran but I was trapped. Later, my relatives pulled me from the mud," Detros added.
Another survivor, Rico Clase, 29, told Xinhua in a separate interview that he "swam in the mud".
"Actually there were many people in the tents. My group was staying downhill. Many people were also there. We were about 21 but only three of us were saved," said Clase.
The landslide occurred at around 2:30 am Friday in Pantukan town of the southern Philippine province of Compostela Valley. Most of the victims were asleep when the incident occurred amid intermittent rains.
By today afternoon, five people were confirmed killed in the landslide and some 17 were missing, according to authorities.
Pantukan mayor Celso Sarenas admitted yesterday that he erred in reporting earlier that 27 bodies were recovered on Friday, claiming that he got wrong figures form local health workers.
Arthur Uy, governor of Compostella Valley, did not discount survivors' account over the number of possible fatalities.
"It could be more than that. There is a possibility," said Uy.
"We are still on rescue mode. Local officials have to decide in three days time whether they will stop digging or not. But we will do our best," he added.
Rhona Siojo, municipal social welfare officer, said there's a possibility all those missing people are dead.
Lambert Detros, 47, a small scale miner who suffered bruises and was confined at a local hospital, told Xinhua today that more than 60 people sleeping in tents were on site when the tragedy occurred.
"More than 60 people were in the area when the landslide happened. I saw them before night time," Detros said in Filipino.
"Stones rolling from hill woke me up. I look from my tent's window and saw mud everywhere. I hurriedly ran but I was trapped. Later, my relatives pulled me from the mud," Detros added.
Another survivor, Rico Clase, 29, told Xinhua in a separate interview that he "swam in the mud".
"Actually there were many people in the tents. My group was staying downhill. Many people were also there. We were about 21 but only three of us were saved," said Clase.
The landslide occurred at around 2:30 am Friday in Pantukan town of the southern Philippine province of Compostela Valley. Most of the victims were asleep when the incident occurred amid intermittent rains.
By today afternoon, five people were confirmed killed in the landslide and some 17 were missing, according to authorities.
Pantukan mayor Celso Sarenas admitted yesterday that he erred in reporting earlier that 27 bodies were recovered on Friday, claiming that he got wrong figures form local health workers.
Arthur Uy, governor of Compostella Valley, did not discount survivors' account over the number of possible fatalities.
"It could be more than that. There is a possibility," said Uy.
"We are still on rescue mode. Local officials have to decide in three days time whether they will stop digging or not. But we will do our best," he added.
Rhona Siojo, municipal social welfare officer, said there's a possibility all those missing people are dead.
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