At least seven people died while two others were seriously injured in a landslide in a residential area in Monkayo, Davao de Oro on Thursday, Jan. 18, an official of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.
Ednar Dayanghirang, director of the OCD- Region 11, said search and rescue operations were immediately launched in Purok 20, Mt. Diwata onm Monkayo town after the incident but this was stopped due to the heavy rains in the area.
The fatalities are five children, one of them identified as one-year old Rommel Gumatin, and two adults.
“There were already seven retrieved bodies. Two others were rescued, including a one-year old, and they are critically wounded,” said Dayanghirang in an interview over dzRH.
Dayanghirang said the victims was praying as part of their religious activity when the landslide occurred.
The landslide was caused by the heavy rains in the area for the past few days, according to the official.