Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya—Retrieval operations for the landslide victims in barangay Runruno here have been completed, with 10 dead bodies and two injured victims.
Police Colonel Ranser Evasco, Police Provincial Director, said the retrieval operations lasted for more than a day with the help of their Special Action Force (SAF) teams, Philippine Army, and rescuers from the Nueva Vizcaya Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (NVDRRMO) and local government unit of Quezon.
Governor Carlos Padilla and Vice Governor Jose Tomas visited barangay Runruno over the weekend to assist the relatives of the landslide victims.
FCF Minerals Corporation, which operates the gold and molybdenum project in barangay Runruno, also gave assistance to the victims.
Evasco identified the fatalities as Julie Ann Tanesa, Ben Junior Bulayo, Dexter Kurt Nah-oy, Cresencia Nah-oy, Francisco Taguiling Napadawan, Jomar Cumihang Ohdon, Noel Tayaban Buyaco, Mark Conie Mangandat Binwag, and two unidentified cadavers.
The injured were Jaymar Tanesa and Lily Tanesa, who are now being treated at a hospital in Solano town.
Evasco said the continuous rains dumped by Typhoon “Ulysses” caused the steep mountain in sitio Compound to collapse, causing the landslide which buried the victims’ houses below.
“They were warned before on the imminent threat of landslide since the area is already declared as hazard-prone,” he said.
Evasco added that in 2006, a huge mudslide claimed more than a dozen lives during the height of typhoon “Ompong” in the same area.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau earlier declared Sitio Compound as one of the hazard-prone areas.
Evasco said that evacuation efforts for the villagers living within the areas covered by the mining companies has long been recommended by various stakeholders.