Search and rescue operations continued at the collapsed Binaliw sanitary landfill in Cebu City on Tuesday after equipment detected signs of life beneath the debris, five days since the trash slide on Jan. 8.
The death toll has climbed to 13, with 23 people still unaccounted for and 18 others hospitalized, according to Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr.
Archival said rescuers remain in rescue mode despite the lapse of the 72-hour window, citing equipment from Apex Mining that detected movement beneath the rubble. He noted that operations are being executed in stages due to the high risk of a secondary collapse.
The collapsed structure, a sorting area or the materials recovery facility (MRF) made of interconnected steel, has complicated the effort, with authorities warning that moving one segment could trap more victims.
Families of the missing have pressed for faster retrieval, but Archival said limited heavy equipment and unstable ground conditions delayed operations in the first days after the collapse. Larger equipment only arrived recently.
A formal probe has yet to begin, but initial assessments point to recent natural events, including a September earthquake and Typhoon Tino in November, which may have weakened the site through ground movement and soil saturation. Weather conditions on the day of the collapse were clear.
On Monday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued a cease-and-desist order against Prime Integrated Waste Solutions, Inc., operator of the landfill on Monday. The DENR said it will launch an impartial investigation to determine the cause of the collapse and establish responsibility and accountability to the parties involved and what charges should be made.
