Death toll hits 116 in RP dump avalanche
Death toll hits 116 in RP dump avalanche
MANILA (AFP): The death toll from a garbage avalanche that
wiped out an entire community of scavenger families near Manila
climbed to 116 Wednesday, as fears grew about the risk of
disease.
Remaining residents, and rescue workers sifting through the
putrid mountain of trash for more bodies, were warned of the
mounting health risk caused by decaying corpses buried in the
garbage.
"It is a potential hazard because from opening body bags for
identification alone, the stench is very bad," Kit Villaranda, a
Philippine National Red Cross official at the site, told AFP.
"It is not good for the health, particularly with airborne
bacteria."
She said vaccines and anti-toxins were being given to rescuers
and residents as a preventive measure.
Grieving relatives of those buried under the rubbish joined
the hundreds of rescuers to look for their loved ones, using
picks, shovels and their bare hands.
Officials already gave up hope any survivors could be
recovered three days after a mountain of rubbish at the Payatas
dumpsite came crashing down on about 300 shanty dwellings housing
people who eked out a living by scavenging.
The crash on the one-hectare dumpsite was triggered by
torrential rains caused by twin typhoons last week.
"Rescuers have recovered a total of 116 bodies so far as of
noon today and we are still expecting more to be extricated
within the day," said Villaranda.
"Prospects have already dimmed we will get people alive," she
said, even as she stressed rescue officials would continue with
recovery efforts until it was certain no more bodies could be
found.
Many of those recovered in the past two days were mangled and
bloated beyond recognition. Body parts amongst the trash and dirt
were also recovered and placed in individual plastic bags.
"There were body parts, other bodies were bloated and burnt.
There was one body that was headless and we don't know whether
they were torn by the trash slide or by backhoes that combed the
area," Villaranda said. "Many relatives could not identify their
dead."
Fifty-eight people were rescued and given proper treatment,
while at least 15 others were recuperating in various hospitals.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council said local
authorities "could not determine the number of persons buried
because of the absence of a census" but residents earlier
reported that at least 150 others were missing.
"It is getting grim with more than a hundred dead bodies
already retrieved," Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said. "It
is indeed already in a state where we are in a recovery mode."
About 500 soldiers, health and social workers as well as Red
Cross staff and volunteer were helping with the search, which has
been continually hampered by rainshowers that have softened the
loose foundation of dirt and trash.
New fissures were monitored in other areas of the dump site
that could lead to a cave in, forcing officials to evacuate
hundreds of residents to safer areas.
Social workers from the Red Cross as well as the health
department were providing "psychosocial care" to survivors and
relatives, many of whom were in deep shock and in a state of
denial, officials said.
"You can't figure out the expression on their faces. Most of
the relatives kept digging with their bare hands, showing
frustrated rescuers where their houses were," Villaranda said.
The tragedy, the worst in recent Philippine history, forced
officials to ask Congress for a review the country's waste
management law, which had for years allowed open dump sites to
absorb the capital's estimated 10,000 tons of trash daily.