MASARA LANDSLIDE. A house is partially devoured by the massive landslide in Barangay Masara, Maco, Davao de Oro, in this Feb. 16, 2024 photo by the local government. As of Thursday (Feb. 22, 2024), search and retrieval operations have already stopped at the ground zero. (Photo from Municipality of Maco Facebook Page)
DAVAO CITY – Maco municipality in Davao de Oro ended the search and retrieval operations in the landslide in Barangay Masara at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The landslide at Zone 1 in Barangay Masara claimed 98 lives, while eight persons remained missing.
In an executive order on Friday, Mayor Carlos Arthur Voltaire Rimando said emergency measures may be carried out as necessary.
“After thorough assessment and evaluation and recommendation from the incident management team, through the operations section-search and retrieval operations, reported the completion of retrieval and debris clearing at ground zero, covering the whole landslide area until its ground level,” Rimando said.
Rimando also acknowledged the responders and those who helped in the operations at ground zero.
“The collaborative response of emergency response teams, volunteers, donors, and incident management teams from local government units, national government agencies, and private stakeholders was indeed marked by dedication and courage,” he said.
Despite the challenging conditions and risks posed by the terrain, Rimando said the responders remained steadfast in their commitment to saving lives and providing assistance to those in need. (PNA)
