The recent landslide in Maco, Davao de Oro, has resulted in a devastating death toll of 98 individuals, as reported by the municipal government. The Management of the Dead and the Missing (MDM) unit, during a press briefing led by personnel Lea Añora, disclosed the grim figures: “As of 12 noon today, we have a total of 98 retrieved bodies which includes complete body parts and body parts,” indicating the severity of the disaster. Among these, 88 were complete bodies, and 10 were partial remains, with 79 identified and 18 yet to be identified.
The search and retrieval efforts continue as Incident Commander Engineer Ariel Capoy highlighted ongoing excavation work at ground zero for the nine individuals still missing. These include residents from the immediate community, employees from Maria-Socio General Services Inc. (MSGSI), and one from APEX Mining, underscoring the widespread impact of the tragedy.
The landslide, which struck on February 6, affected four barangays, causing significant destruction including buried houses, a barangay hall, and a bus company terminal. In a small glimmer of hope amidst the tragedy, a three-year-old girl was rescued from the rubble on February 9, two days following the landslide. She is currently receiving medical care and is in stable condition.
This catastrophe comes in the wake of adverse weather conditions experienced in some areas of Mindanao since January 28, attributed to the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan and the trough of a dissipated low pressure area. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reports that 1,521,478 people or 455,265 families have been affected by the flooding and landslides across Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and Bangsamoro regions.
The disaster has inflicted significant damage to both infrastructure and agriculture, amounting to P827,075,125 and P502,482,986, respectively, and has damaged 1,603 houses, either partially or totally. In response, a state of calamity has been declared in several areas including Maco, Davao de Oro, Agusan del Sur province-wide, Lingig in Surigao del Sur, Butuan City, and Las Nieves in Agusan del Norte. The NDRRMC has provided P218,713,346 in assistance to the victims, demonstrating the extensive efforts to aid recovery and rebuild lives.