At a Glance
- A Jan. 8 landfill collapse in Cebu City, Philippines, has left 36 people confirmed dead.
- Search teams found the final missing body on Jan. 18, ending the 10-day rescue effort.
- A 50-year-old volunteer searcher also died of septic shock after working at the site.
- Why it matters: The tragedy highlights safety risks at the nation’s waste facilities.
A mountain of trash four stories high gave way on Jan. 8 in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City, burying scores of workers and setting off a desperate search that ended 10 days later with the recovery of the last victim’s body.
The Collapse
The avalanche struck at 4:17 p.m., sending debris and garbage cascading across the active landfill. Around 110 employees were on site when the slope failed, according to the Cebu City Police Office.
Initial reports listed 34 people missing and one confirmed dead-a 22-year-old woman. Office worker Jaylord Antigua, 31, crawled toward a sliver of light to escape. “It was traumatic. I feared that it was my end, so this is my second life,” he told the Associated Press.
The Search
Rescue crews worked around the clock, navigating unstable ground and the stench of decomposing waste. By Jan. 18 they had accounted for every missing person.
- 36 bodies have been recovered in total.
- 18 people were injured; four remain hospitalized.
- 6 bodies are still unidentified.
The Bureau of Fire Protection-Regional Office 7 announced the completion of operations on social media, stating that “all reported individuals have now been fully accounted for.”
A Volunteer’s Death
A 50-year-old volunteer searcher died Sunday of septic shock, Cebu City Councillor David Tumulak confirmed. According to his family, a blister on his foot worsened after days of working in wet boots at the site.
Tumulak said the man’s death underscores the risks faced by responders working in hazardous conditions.
Investigation Underway
Cebu City generates just over one million pounds of garbage daily, straining local disposal capacity. Mayor Nestor Archival has pledged an inquiry into the collapse, though no timeline has been released.
News Of Los Angeles contacted the mayor’s office, Cebu police, and Tumulak on Jan. 19 but did not receive an immediate response.
Key Takeaways
- The Jan. 8 collapse is one of the deadliest waste-site accidents in recent Philippine history.
- All victims have been located, but six remain unnamed.
- Ongoing hospital care for four survivors signals long-term health impacts.
- Officials have yet to release findings on what caused the slope failure.
