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28 bodies recovered, 46 still missing in S. Philippines landslide

Xinhua, January 7, 2012

• At least 28 bodies have already been recovered as search and retrieval operations continued on Saturday for still missing persons in a landslide last Thursday that hit a mining village in southern Philippines, military and social welfare officials said.

  Some 23 of the bodies were already identified while the number of missing in the landslide that hit Diat community in Napnapan village here rose to 46 as of Saturday.

  Rhona Siojo, municipal social welfare officer, told Xinhua that 27 of the bodies were already brought down and given to their families. Five of those killed were children aged four to 16 years old.

  "Many people came forward to us on Friday and reported they have relatives who were in the area the night before the disaster who could no longer be traced as of now," Siojo said.

  The latest update was still below earlier estimates that over a hundred people could be missing and believed buried. A local army commander, Colonel Roberto Domines, said at a press conference on Friday "confusion and chaos" in the height of the incident caused the conflicting reports of casualties.

  Philippine Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo flew over the area on Friday and ordered in a talk with local officials the immediate shutting down of mining operations there and the eviction of close to 2,000 residents composed of miners and their families.

  "We want this implemented within two weeks and the army and police would be mobilized to carry out the forced eviction of settlers and the tearing down of shanties," said Robredo.

  Compostela Valley Provincial Governor Arturo Uy admitted it would not be easy to implement the order as those who would be affected would lose their livelihood.

  "They are stubborn. They would rather die in disasters than starve their families," said the governor, adding he has no other option but to follow the directive and implement it.

  The landslide hit at around 3 a.m. Thursday as most of the community were asleep, trapping most of the victims inside their shanties, said Raul Villocino, head of the disaster team from the provincial government.

  "The area is very unstable and leaks were found in the hills around the community. We have to be always on guard for another landslide," Villocino said.

  About 60 houses were destroyed or buried as tons of soil, rocks and uprooted trees cascaded down the side of the mining village. The landslide left a swath of destruction some 300 meters long, 150 meters high and 60 meters wide, according to Compostela Valley provincial police chief Timoteo Pacleb.

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