Government assures aid for landslide victims in Bukidnon

MALACANANG on Tuesday said it is closely monitoring the landslide in Bukidnon province that has killed at least seven people.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government is on top of the situation to ensure that necessary assistance will be extended to the victims of the landslide that hit the national highway in Barangay Lumbayao, Valencia City Bukidnon last Monday.

"We are closely monitoring the aftermath of the landslide and we are ready to extend the assistance needed in the landslide areas," Valte said.

Officials conducting operations in the area said the death toll as of Tuesday morning has risen to seven and an estimated eight to 10 people remain missing.

Retrieval operations are still being conducted by a composite team from the Department of Public Works and Highways and the military, among others.

The landslide affected 100 meters of the national road.

Officials of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the heavy rains that have been hitting the province since middle of May this year may have loosened the mountain slope, especially those with little vegetation.

In May, the total rainfall measured 421.2 millimeters (mm) compared to the 30-year average for the same month of 231.1 mm. In June, the total rainfall was 379.9 mm, compared to the 316.9 mm average rainfall for the same month over the last 30 years.

The officials said this could be the impact of climate change, noting that heavier rainfall has been recorded even after the end of the La Nina. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)