MANILA, Philippines — Rescuers and residents at a mining site in Itogon, Benguet—where dozens are feared to have been buried alive—were instructed to leave Friday due to the threat of another landslide.
This, after the Mines and Geosciences Bureau warned that the landslide area of the mining town is still active.
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Ruben Carandang, Office of Civil Defense-Cordillera regional director, said the government is limiting the deployment of rescuers to only 30.
“I was advised by the MGB to implement the reduction of search and rescue personnel who are here at the ground zero,” Carandang said in an interview on ANC.
He said that the search for at least 57 people will still continue but once heavy rains start pouring, “everybody will go up.”
“I will stop (the search) because we cannot afford to sacrifice more number of people who will be buried by landslide while rescuing those who had been buried since Saturday,” Carandang said.
The forced evacuation will be also implemented to the residents living in houses up the mountain.
At least 45 individuals were confirmed dead when a mining shelted in Barangay Ucab in Itogon, Benguet was obliterated during the onslaught of typhoon Ompong over the weekend.
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