Two dead and dozens missing after mountain of rubbish collapses in Philippines

An avalanche of rubbish and debris has buried or trapped workers at a landfill in the Philippines, killing two people, injuring a dozen and leaving 36 others missing, officials said.

Thirteen people were rescued alive overnight, but one of them later died, authorities said.

A second body was discovered later.

Rescue teams were searching for three dozen people still trapped after the mountain of rubbish, earth and debris collapsed on Thursday afternoon at Binaliw in Cebu City, officials and police said.

The dead and missing were all workers at the landfill and waste management facility, officials said.

One of those rescued, a female landfill worker, died while being brought to hospital, police said.

The body of a 25-year-old engineer, who worked in the facility, was recovered on Friday afternoon, officials said.

Jaylord Antigua, a 31-year-old office worker at the landfill site, said that the collapse of the mountain of rubbish unfolded rapidly without warning and in good weather.

It destroyed his office, where he managed to extricate himself with bruises on his face and arms by crawling under the rubble and debris.

“I saw a light and crawled towards it in a hurry, because I feared there will be more landslides,” Mr Antigua said. “It was traumatic. I feared that it was my end, so this is my second life.”

Search and rescue efforts would proceed indefinitely at the facility, which has 110 employees, officials said. Relatives waited in anguish as the search and rescue proceeded.