Girl’s ‘miraculous’ rescue offers hope for families of dozens buried in Philippines landslide

CNN —

A young girl was pulled from a deadly landslide in a “miraculous rescue” Friday, authorities in the southern Philippines said, as rescue efforts hampered by poor conditions resumed for more than 110 others who have been missing for days.

In a statement on Facebook, the Davao de Oro provincial government said at least 11 people were killed Tuesday when the landslide swept Maco, including the remote gold mining village of Masara on the island of Mindanao, following intense rains.

More than 1,100 families have been sent to evacuation centers, the provincial government said.

The girl is in a stable condition, the government added, with Davao de Oro Gov. Dorothy Gonzaga saying her rescue had provided a “sign of hope.”

Rescue teams search for missing miners in Maco, Davao de Oro, Philippines on February 8, 2024.

Families of the missing have endured an agonizing wait for the search to restart after efforts were paused Thursday due to limited visibility and intermittent slides.

The long wait for news of his missing son had become unbearable, resident Wilfredo Pilones told state broadcaster PTV on Thursday.

“The rescue is taking a long time,” he said. “They’ll get buried deeper even more.”

The region is resource-rich, with raw metals buried under sprawling mountainous highlands dotted with agricultural villages.

A policeman carries a baby as officials ordered mandatory evacuation from the landslide-hit village on February 8, 2024.

Aerial photos taken by the military showed huge swaths of land covered in mud along a winding river flowing across the mine and surrounding village huts.

Among the missing, at least 45 are employees of local firm Apex Mining, which said workers waiting on buses to be shuttled out of the