Tragic Landfill Collapse in the Philippines: One Dead and Many Missing

Sun Jan 11 2026 01:08:48 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A catastrophic collapse at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City has left one woman dead and over thirty people missing as rescue efforts continue amid concerns of further instability.

A mountain of rubbish collapsed at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City, resulting in the death of a 22-year-old woman and leaving more than 30 workers unaccounted for. Rescuers are facing challenges due to safety risks associated with further collapses. The incident highlights potential deficiencies in waste management practices.

A mountain of rubbish collapsed at a landfill in the central Philippines on Thursday, killing a 22-year-old woman and leaving more than 30 people missing, authorities have said.

Rescuers pulled 12 injured sanitation workers from debris at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City, who were later hospitalised.

Many of the missing are believed to be workers at the landfill. The mayor of Cebu told news outlet ABS-CBN that it may be difficult to reach survivors because of the potential for further collapse.

The cause of the collapse is still unclear, but Cebu City councillor Joel Garganera said it was likely the result of poor waste management practices.

Some 300 people from various government agencies and civilian groups have been deployed to the privately-owned landfill. Several excavators, ambulances, and fire trucks have also been seen on site.

All response teams remain fully engaged in search and retrieval efforts to locate the remaining missing persons, Cebu Mayor Nestor Archival said in a Facebook post on Friday.

Cebu City councillor Joel Garganera noted that operators had been mining soil while piling garbage to form another mountain of waste, indicating hazardous practices lead to the disaster.

The Binaliw landfill is approximately 15 hectares (37 acres) and is part of a common structure in major Philippine cities, where waste management remains a critical issue.