The death toll from a landfill collapse in the central Philippines climbed to four on Saturday as search teams continued digging for dozens of missing workers, local officials said.
The collapse occurred Thursday at the Binaliw landfill in Cebu City, where about 110 workers were on site at the time. Several structures inside the facility were damaged when a large section of the landfill gave way.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival confirmed the updated death toll in a Facebook post, adding that at least 12 injured workers had been taken to hospitals for treatment.
The incident has raised urgent concerns about worker safety and emergency response capacity at large waste facilities in the region.
Rescue teams continued operations into Saturday, focusing on areas where authorities believe survivors may still be trapped. According to Mayor Archival, responders detected signs of life in specific sections of the debris.
He said the findings required careful excavation and the use of heavier equipment, including a 50 ton crane, to avoid further collapses while reaching possible survivors.
As of Friday, officials said 36 people were unaccounted for. An updated count of missing workers was not immediately available, according to city authorities cited by Reuters.
Relatives of the missing gathered near the landfill on Saturday, hoping their loved ones would be found alive.
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Jerahmey Espinoza, whose husband was among those missing, said she came to the site searching for answers. She told reporters that her husband had not been seen since the collapse.
She said the family remained hopeful he was still alive beneath the rubble.
Local officials said rescue operations would continue as long as there were signs of life and conditions remained safe for responders. An investigation into the cause of the collapse is expected once recovery efforts are complete.