Death toll in Philippines landfill collapse hits 4, dozens still trapped 

The ‍death toll from a landfill collapse in the central Philippines has risen to four, an official said, as rescue efforts continue ⁠for dozens who remained missing.

The Binaliw landfill in ​the central city of Cebu collapsed on ‍Thursday, with 110 workers on site at the time. Several structures and facilities inside the landfill were damaged during the ‍collapse.

Cebu City ⁠Mayor Nestor Archival said in a Facebook post on Saturday that the death toll had risen to four and 12 others had been sent to hospitals.

So far, 36 people were missing, based on a Friday tally. An update on the number of ‌missing was not immediately available.

Families of the missing workers remained hopeful ‌on Saturday that they would be ⁠found alive.

Jerahmey Espinoza, whose husband was among the missing, went to the landfill in hopes of finding him. “They haven’t seen ‌him or located him ever since the disaster happened. We’re still hopeful that he’s alive,” Espinoza said.

Dozens of rescuers, including police, firefighters and disaster-response personnel, have raced against time to find more survivors in dangerous conditions in the rubble of twisted tin roofs, iron bars and combustible heaps of rubbish and debris.

“Authorities confirmed the presence of detected signs of life in specific areas, requiring continued careful excavation and the deployment of a more advanced 50-ton crane, which is enroute with police escort,” Cebu’s Mayor Nestor Archival said in a statement.

“Safety of responders remains paramount due to hazards such as unstable debris and acetylene risks, prompting adjustments to the security perimeter and controlled access,” Archival said.

The four dead, including an engineer and a female office worker, were all employees of the landfill and waste management facility that has a staff of 110, according to the mayor and police.

The cause of the collapse of the mountain of rubbish remains unclear, but a survivor told The Associated Press news agency on Friday that it happened in an instant without any warning, despite fairly good weather at the time.