Philippines: 13 rescued alive, 25 missing, 1 killed in Cebu landfill collapse

Manila: Rescue teams in Cebu City have pulled 13 people out alive from a massive pile of garbage on Friday, as they race against time to rescue dozens of others.

A mountain of trash collapsed outside Cebu City with dozens still unaccounted for — while families are gripped by fear after the heap of municipal waste collapsed on Thursday afternoon, killing one person and injuring several others.

25 still missing

About 25 people are still missing, and feared trapped under tonnes of waste at the Binaliw landfill in Cebu City, authorities said Friday.

Authorities have mobilised heavy equipment in the search and rescue operations as victims' families wait for news about their loved ones at temporary tents outside the site, assisted by staff of the Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD).

Emergency workers found the 13 people amid the debris as search-and-rescue efforts continue amid concerns for more victims.

The incident occurred around 4:17 pm local time on Thursday (January 8) at the waste facility, where about 110 workers were on duty when the mountain of rubbish, earth and debris suddenly gave way.

Local officials said the collapse buried low-lying buildings, including offices and a materials recovery area, and may have affected both employees and others on site.

One of the survivors, an office worker, described the terrifying moment: “I saw a light and crawled toward it in a hurry because I feared there will be more landslides … this is my second life.”

Authorities have mobilised heavy equipment and additional personnel as families anxiously await news of loved ones, and officials work to secure the site and assess what triggered the catastrophic landslide of garbage according to the Philippine Star.

Search-and-retrieval operations

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival confirmed that one fatality — a female landfill worker — was pronounced dead while being brought to hospital, and at least 38 people remain missing and possibly buried beneath the garbage mound.

“All response teams remain fully engaged in search and retrieval efforts to locate the remaining missing persons with strict adherence to safety protocols,” Archival said in a social media post, underscoring the urgency and risk faced by rescuers navigating unstable waste and potential toxic air.

The collapse has highlighted longstanding concerns over landfill safety and waste management practices in the Philippines.

Experts and community members are calling for stronger enforcement of environmental regulations and better monitoring of landfill conditions to prevent similar tragedies.