A deadly landslide of garbage buried a staff housing area and office at a waste facility in Cebu City on Thursday afternoon, resulting in one confirmed fatality and leaving six people injured.
Details of the Binaliw Landfill Disaster
The incident occurred past 4:00 PM on January 8, 2025, at the Prime Waste Inc. facility in Barangay Binaliw. According to Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairperson of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), the collapse completely covered the structures.
Of the six individuals rescued from the rubble, three were reported to be in critical condition. All victims were rushed to nearby hospitals: the injured to VisayasMed Hospital and the deceased to North General Hospital. As of the latest reports, rescue operations are still ongoing, with estimates suggesting more than 20 people could have been trapped inside the staff house and office when the garbage gave way.
Cause and Official Response
Authorities received the emergency call at 7:35 PM on Thursday. Initial assessments point to continuous rainfall over several days as the primary cause, which saturated and softened the ground at the Binaliw landfill site.
Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, chairperson of the Committee on Environment, confirmed that emergency responders and ambulances were immediately dispatched. The city also deployed personnel from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) to conduct a drone assessment to gauge the full scope of the affected area.
A Known Hazard: Open Dumpsite Risks
Councilor Garganera highlighted the inherent danger of the site, describing the Binaliw facility as an open dumpsite, not a sanitary landfill. He explained that the area was created by excavating a hill and piling waste on the loose soil, effectively forming a new mountain made entirely of garbage.
Garganera had previously warned that the ever-growing pile of waste risked collapse, especially during persistent rains. "Even a mountain made of soil and rock can experience a landslide. What more a mountain made of garbage?" he stated, underscoring the preventable nature of the tragedy. The incident raises serious questions about waste management practices and environmental safety protocols in the area.
