At least 32 people have died after a landslide at Cebu City’s Binaliw landfill, with rescue teams continuing operations and four missing.

The number of confirmed deaths rose to 32 after a landslide struck a landfill in Cebu City, central-southern Philippines, authorities said on Saturday, as search and recovery operations continued at the site.

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Philippine authorities have recovered at least 32 bodies following a landslide at the Binaliw landfill in Cebu City, according to the latest update from local officials. The incident occurred last Thursday and left dozens of people injured, while around a hundred workers were initially reported trapped by the collapse.

The Cebu Fire Protection Office said four people remain missing. In a statement published on Facebook, the city’s fire service said: “Search, rescue, and retrieval operations are ongoing, and response teams continue their efforts on the ground.” The agency also released images showing emergency crews working in the affected area.

The Binaliw landfill, which receives an estimated 1,000 tons of waste per day, is operated by a private company. Following the incident, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered the facility’s closure. The department also pledged to conduct a “thorough” and “impartial” investigation to determine the causes of the landslide and establish “the responsibilities of the parties involved.”

Officials noted that the landfill site had experienced persistent rainfall in the days leading up to the collapse. The area had also registered smaller landslides in previous years, though those incidents did not result in fatalities.

Rescue efforts have been hindered by unstable debris and the presence of acetylene, a highly flammable gas. Authorities deployed a 50-ton crane to assist excavation work as teams continued to search for missing workers.

Cebu City, the capital of the island of the same name, is home to about 5.4 million people and is considered highly vulnerable to natural disasters. In recent months, the area was hit by Typhoon Kalmaegi in November, which killed more than 110 people, and by an earthquake in October that claimed at least 72 lives.

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