Manila, Feb 12 (IANS): The death toll from a landslide in the southern Philippines has risen to 54, the government said, as rescue workers comb mud and rubble in search for 63 missing people.
The landslide hit the mountain town of Maco in Davao de Oro province on the evening of February 6, burying several homes, vehicles, and dozens of people, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Maco town disaster prevention office said at least 32 people were injured but survived the tragedy.
Local authorities said that the landslide has affected 1,347 families, or 5,431 people, in four villages in the municipality of Maco.
The World Risk Index 2022 put the Philippines at the number one spot for the most disaster-prone countries in the world.
Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the archipelago is frequently battered by powerful typhoons, triggering flash floods and landslides, and rocked by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.