Body Count Rises in Philippines after Landslides in Earthquake’s Aftermath
There are new dangers in the aftermath of Monday’s earthquake in the Philippines. Landslides have buried villages in the central part of the island of Negro. Rescuers have been digging in the mud and debris, but have only found bodies. The death toll from the earthquake currently stands at 43, but there are dozens of people missing.
The 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck at noon yesterday and there are many bridges and roads that are destroyed on Negros. Rescuers, including firefighters and soldiers, have to hike in order to get to the remote villages on the island. The village of Planas is where most of the bodies have been recovered, as more than 30 homes were buried in rubble. Ernesto Reyes, who is the mayor of Guihulngan, said that rescuers are trying to use backhoes to dig through the debris, but the reports of additional deaths are coming in so fast that the town many not have enough coffins.
The damage to the island communities is much more extensive than originally thought because the earthquake caused communications to go down between many villages. There is no electricity in several villages and the towns are completely isolated. The village of Solongon has an unknown number of people missing, with more than 100 homes destroyed.
Benigno Aquino III has ordered the military to respond to the region. Workers are trying to make the roads and bridges passable in order to get food, equipment, and supplies into the hardest hit areas.
The Philippines is located in the “Ring of Fire,” which is the most active area in the world for volcanos and earthquakes. The damage and destruction from the quake is compounded because of the lack of solidly constructed buildings. In 1990, more than 2,000 people were killed in Luzon in a 7.7 magnitude quake.
