Seven members of the Celo family, including an eight-year-old child, died when a landslide struck their home in Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya, as Typhoon Pepito swept through the area.
Ambaguio Police Chief PMaj Elmo Lorenzo confirmed the victims were part of a family living on the mountainside at Sitio Hukhukyong, Brgy. Labang.
Among those who perished were an eight-year-old child and five other minors aged 12 to 18. Three others, including the father, a barangay councilor, his wife, and their four-year-old child, survived with injuries.
PMaj Lorenzo said local authorities had advised the family to evacuate, but they chose to stay, believing their home was in a safe location.
The saturated soil caused a massive landslide that buried their house while the family was asleep.
The landslide did not collapse the house directly but slid from the mountain’s upper section, crossing a road before hitting the home made of concrete, wood, and metal roofing.
Rescue teams faced difficulties accessing the site, requiring a 15-minute drive from the town center, followed by a two-hour walk due to blocked roads caused by additional landslides.
Ambaguio MDRRM Officer Kevin Mariano noted that multiple landslides delayed rescue operations, prompting neighbors to assist in retrieving the bodies until rescuers arrived.
The injured were taken to Region 2 Trauma and Medical Center.
Four landslides had blocked the route to the sitio, making vehicle access impossible. Authorities emphasized that residents should heed evacuation warnings to prevent similar tragedies.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development pledged assistance to the victims’ families, and the burial of the deceased is set for today.