THE death toll from the February 6 rain-induced landslide in Maco town in Davao de Oro increased yesterday to 90, an official of the Department of Interior and Local Government said.
Leah Añora, a member of DILG’s Management of the Dead and Missing cluster, said 37 persons remained missing and subject of ongoing search and retrieval operations.
Añora said 14 of the fatalities have yet to be identified.
The 14 were buried at the Maco public cemetery last Wednesday after no one showed up to identify and claim the remains.
Ednar Dayanghirang, director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Davao region, said, “Slowly, we’re finding the missing individuals. Unfortunately, they are already dead.”
Dayanghirang could not immediately say until when the search and retrieval operations will be held. He said the decision will depend on the decision of the Incident Management Team.
Dayanghirang said authorities found no indication of life “based on the tools and equipment and methods that we have at the ground zero.”
He also said the Office of Civil Defense has been delivering food assistance not only to Maco but in other areas in the Davao region affected by recent flooding.
“It (relief efforts) is being supported by the national government. The other day, a C-130 (plane) arrived with food. Ships with food packs are also coming,” he said.
Dayanghirang said OCD administrator Ariel Nepomuceno advised other OCD regional offices to support the relief mission in the Davao region.
“In fact, their support already arrived, these are non-food items. Most of them are now being delivered to the affected communities,” Dayanghirang said.
