Threat of another landslide halts retrieval ops in ComVal
The threat of another landslide in a mining area in Compostela Valley — where more than a dozen miners are still trapped — has forced authorities to stop retrieval operations and instead evacuate people to safer places on Tuesday. Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, spokesman of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, said the area surrounding the mining site in Kingking village in Pantukan town has already "deteriorated" and has become "dangerous" for government authorities who are trying to retrieve the miners. "Kasi iyong retrieval area ngayon, nakaharap iyan [at] katabi iyan ng gumuho na area which is na-determine natin na posible... sigurado sila na guguho rin talaga (The retrieval area is beside the collapsed mining site and where another landslide could happen)," said Paniza. Days of constant rains triggered the landslide at the mining site last Friday, burying houses and people nearby. As of posting time, eight bodies have already been retrieved while 16 people remain missing. Paniza said authorities have now shifted their efforts from retrieval operations to the "voluntary evacuation" of some 112 families or more than 500 individuals living or working near the collapsed mining site. Interviewed over GMA Network's Unang Balita earlier in the day, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said a team of geologists discovered one more crack that could trigger another landslide that would affect over 100 houses in the area. On Monday, a 70-meter crack was also seen in the site where around 30 houses are located. "Isa o dalawang ulan na lang, siguro gagalaw na yun," Paje said.