Search for BARMM landslide victims called off
BANGSAMORO NEWS UPDATES • 16:00 PM Thu Nov 3, 2022
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By:
John M. Unson
A village in Barangay Kusiong flattened by mud and rocks. (John Unson)
COTABATO CITY - Officials suspended since Wednesday the search for 12 still missing persons in villages hit by landslides as mud covering houses around got hardened by sunlight.
More than 30 people had been dug since Saturday from debris that covered villages in Barangay Kusiong in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao del Norte that cascaded from hills nearby, loosened by rains spawned by Tropical Storm Paeng.
Major Gen. Roy Galido, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told reporters Thursday that the suspension of the search operation was based on consensus by various emergency response groups, military units involved in the search operations and officials of the Bangsamoro regional government.
“The mud on top of houses hit by landslides dried so hard so we decided to stop the search operation,” Galido said.
Galido is overseeing the rescue missions in areas hit by landslides and flashfloods in the adjoining Datu Blah Sinsuat and Datu Odin Sinsuat towns in Maguindanao del Norte.
“Meantime we shall help in relief efforts of local government units for constituents badly affected by the storm that ravaged Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur last week,” Galido said.