Mindanao landslide deaths: Cops say 10; NDRRMC says 3

(Updated 10:30 p.m.) Government agencies are mixed on the number of fatalities from the landslide that hit Compostela Valley in Mindanao before dawn Friday. While the police said 10 people were reported killed and at least six injured, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said only three have been confirmed dead based on the information it gathered so far. Provincial police Chief Senior Superintendent Aaron Aquino said 10 have been reported dead in the landslide, and that cops have a hard time getting to the site via helicopter due to cloudy and rainy weather there. “Nabigyan ako ng casualty report na 10 ang initial (na namatay). Yan ang report ng chief of police, nakuha sa local officials," Aquino said in an interview on GMA News' Balitanghali Friday noon.
Six people were rescued from the area and rushed to a nearby hospital, he said. Initial reports also indicated 30 to 40 may still be missing, as the landslide hit a mining community of about “40 to 50" miners. The incident occurred at about 2:30 a.m. at Sitio Panganason in Kingking village in Pantukan town. Aquino said initial reports indicated that a landslide caused by rains in recent days caused one of the mining tunnels to collapse and bury the houses below. “Ito nagsimula sa isang hill. Dahil sa pag-uulan, nag-soften ang soil at yan ang rumagasa pababa combined with rocks and mud," he said. But he said the area where the incident occurred was not accessible via chopper. He said he has asked the Air Force to allow local police and military personnel to ride their choppers to get to the area. “Ina-attempt namin puntahan ng chopper sa area, nguni’t hindi makakita ng landing zone (We are trying to get there via chopper but we could not see a landing zone)," he said. “Sa ngayon medyo maulap ang kalangitan at kadalasan sa Compostela Valley, lalo sa parte ng bundok laging umuulan (The area has cloudy weather and it is always raining)," he added. Aquino said officials fear many may have died as most of the miners in the affected area were sleeping at the time of the incident. NDRRMC: 3 confirmed dead In its 9 p.m., the NDRRMC said at least three people – including a 15-year-old – have been confirmed killed in the landslide. It identified the identified only one of the fatalities as Jun Rex Torrejos, 15, of La Filipina, Tagum City. But it said it is still verifying the identities of the two other confirmed fatalities (http://ndcc.gov.ph/attachments/article/199/NDRRMC%20Update%20Progress%20Report%20Landslide%20in%20Compostela%20Valley%2022%20April%202011,%209PM.pdf). Those injured are:

* Lambert Detros, 47, Matiao, Pantukan; * Jeffrey Tundag, 15, Matiao, Pantukan; * Gerry Hostil, 21, Lasang, Davao City; * Erwin Galorio, 20, Island Garden City of Samal; * Mike Sarit, 30, Asuncion, Davao del Norte; * Rico Clase, 29, Caraga, Davao Oriental; * Rebecca Recaplaza, of Pantukan; and * Nicolas Recaplaza, of Pantukan

Except for Clase and Rebecca Recaplaza who were brought to the Davao Medical Center in Tagum City, the five injured were brought to the Pantukan Emergency Hospital. On the other hand four more miners were rescued safely and had returned home. They sustained only minor bruises, the NDRRMC said. Rebecca was severely wounded while Galorio was released from the hospital as of Friday night, it said. — LBG, GMA News