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LIST: Deadly landslides in the Philippines

1999 Cherry Hills landslide

On August 3, 1999, heavy rain induced by Typhoon Ising Cherry Hills Subdivision in

Antipolo City . A total of 60 people died.

2003 Panaon Island (Southern Leyte) debris flow

Nonstop rain to Panaon Island at the tip of Southern Leyte on December 19, 2003.

Authorities reported 154 people dead

2006 Guinsaugon landslide

Over 1,200 people died on February 11, 2006, when an earthquake triggered an avalanche of

mud and boulders down a mountain slope towards Guinsaugon village in Saint Bernard,

Southern Leyte.

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2006 Mayon Volcano lahar

Typhoon Reming (Durian) drenched the Bicol Region on November 30, 2006, after the storm

made landfall there. The rains triggered the movement of volcanic ash on the slopes of the

Mayon Volcano.

The resulting mudslide or lahar rushed down the villages located on the foot of the Mayon,

killing over 1,200 residents, many of whom were missing or presumed dead.

2009 Cordillera landslides

Days after Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana) left the country, Typhoon Pepeng (Parma)

battered the mountainous Cordillera region with intense rain, causing multiple landslides in

the region in early October 2009.

At least 120 people died in Benguet province, 25 in Baguio City, and 23 in Mountain Province,

according to authorities.

2012 Pantukan landslide

Five days into the new year of 2012, tragedy struck a small-scale mining site in Pantukan,

Compostela Valley, where some miners have settled to pan for gold.

A landslide in the wee hours of the morning, caused by heavy rain and a mild earthquake near

the province, buried the houses near the mining site. At least 42 people were killed.

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2012 New Bataan (Compostela Valley) debris flow

Rains brought by Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) caused a massive debris flow in Barangay Andap

in New Bataan, Compostela Valley on December 4, 2012.

The flow of mud, boulders, and gravel rushed towards Barangay Andap, which was on the

mouth of a steep mountain drainage network. At least 128 died and 450 went missing as the

village was buried under the debris in the wake of the disaster.

2014 Catbalogan landslide

Around 19 people died on December 30, 2014, in Catbalogan City, Samar, after

Tropical Storm Seniang (Jangmi) caused landslides in some areas, most notably in Barangay

Mercedes. Seniang also caused landslides in two towns in neighboring Leyte province,

killing at least 9.

2017 Biliran landslides

On December 16, 2017, 4 towns in Biliran province were affected not only by rains brought by

Tropical Storm Urduja (Kai-tak) but also by landslides. At least 42 people died in

Naval, Caibiran, Biliran, and Almeria, while 14 others were missing.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau said many factors – like the very high slope

gradient in the affected areas and unstable grounds due to road development, farming,

and poor drainage systems – mainly contributed to the landslides, not the supposed

“open-pit mining” operations in the province.

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2018 Itogon, Benguet landslides

Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut), so far the strongest tropical cyclone in 2018, brought

heavy rains and strong winds in northern Luzon. Most of the fatalities were recorded in

landslides that occurred at a mining town in Itogon, Benguet on September 15, 2018.

As of September 21, at least 58 people have been reported dead, 31 of whom

lived in Barangay Ucab where the biggest landslide happened.

Despite the risks in the landslide-prone area, however, residents said they would rather

stay put than lose their only source of livelihood.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the Itogon

landslide was not caused by mining activities but mainly due to the texture of the

soil and the mountain’s steep slope. The DENR later clarified that the deaths

“were still a matter of mining” as it is the livelihood of many residents there.

After Ompong, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu ordered a stop to small-scale

mining operations in the Cordillera region.

2018 Naga, Cebu landslide

Days of heavy monsoon rains caused a landslide in Naga City, Cebu on

September 20, 2018, affecting at least two barangays. Limestone and soil on the

mountainside softened due to the rain, and it collapsed on a number of homes that early

morning, when many people would still have been in bed.

The death toll rose to 29 as of September 21.

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 Recognize Warning Signs.
Watch for debris flows and other fast-moving landslides that pose threats to life:

 If you are near a wildfire burn area, sign up for emergency alerts and pay attention
to weather forecasts for the burn area.
 Listen and watch for rushing water, mud or unusual sounds.
 Unusual sounds such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together, might indicate
moving debris. A faint rumbling sound that increases in volume is noticeable as the
landslide nears.
 Huge boulders in the landscape can be signs of past debris flows.

Watch for slow-moving landslides, or earth flows, that pose threats to property:

 Changes occur in your landscape such as patterns of storm-water drainage on slopes

(especially the places where runoff water converges) land movement, small slides,
flows, or progressively leaning trees.
 Doors or windows stick or jam for the first time.
 New cracks appear in plaster, tile, brick or foundations.
 Outside walls, walkways or stairs begin pulling away from the building.
 Slowly developing, widening cracks appear on the ground or on paved areas such
as streets or driveways.
 Underground utility lines break.
 Bulging ground appears at the base of a slope.
 Water breaks through the ground surface in new locations.
 Fences, retaining walls, utility poles, or trees tilt or move.
 The ground slopes downward in one direction and may begin shifting in that direction
under your feet.

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 BEFORE DURING AFTER
Know Your Area’s Risk for Know the Warning Signs. Wait for all clear.
Landslides If you’re having a major
You can’t predict big rainfall or or heavy, pounding rain,
earthquake, but you can learn you may be at risk for a
about your area’s risk for landslide. Keep an eye on
landslides. Landslides are more hill areas that are more
likely to happen in places where likely to fall, as well as
they’ve happened before. If any streams or creeks
your area has experienced near you. If the water
landslides in the past, you increases suddenly or
should be prepared since it’s goes from clear to
likely to happen again. muddy, a landslide may be
on its way.
Ask your local fire, police, or
public works department for
information on landslides in your
area, and the safety measures
you can take if necessary. Have
the local officials assess the
area for your potential danger.
Learn about the emergency response and Evacuate Immediately. If Don’t return to the area
evacuation plans for your area. Your family
you know a landslide is where a landslide
may also develop your own emergency plan.
happening, evacuate happened until
Prepare a Landslide Disaster Plan
immediately. After you’re authorities tell you it’s
When a landslide happens, you need to
evacuate quickly. Having an evacuation plan on the road, another safe. These areas are
that you’ve practiced with your family will family member can call more likely to experience
help you act fast when every minute
and warn neighbors and a slide again immediately
counts, providing priority assistance to the
PWD, pregnant, elderly and children family friends. after an event.
members. You should also be familiar with
your area’s evacuation routes to help your
evacuation go smoothly.

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 BEFORE
Have an emergency
preparedness kit ready. This kit
should be easy to grab quickly
or should stay in your car’s
trunk.
Your kit may include:
First aid kit
Flashlights and batteries
Non-perishable snacks
Water and other supplies in
sufficient quantity to last for
at least 72 hours.
Build a family communications
plan.
Keep the contact information of Bring mobile phones,
your family members, as well as chargers, and important
the emergency departments. documents with you.
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DURING AFTER
You can also listen for When you can return
sounds of a landslide, home, replant the land
including cracking trees, that’s moved as quickly as
rushing water, rumbling possible to help prevent
or the sounds of rocks erosion and future
hitting each other. Listen events. A geotechnical
to the radio or news to expert can give you
stay on top of the latest landscaping advice to
weather. reduce your land’s risk
for landslides.
Flooding is also more
likely, so seek shelter on
If you’re stuck in the
higher ground.
path of a landslide, move
uphill as quickly as
possible.
Know where to get
emergency care when you
need it. Always prioritize
the needs of the PWD,
pregnant, elderly and
children as they are the
vulnerable group.
 BEFORE DURING AFTER
Come up with an emergency Evacuate immediately if
landslide evacuation plan with you suspect that a
your family. Practice evacuation landslide will happen.
drills to make sure that all your Inform your neighbors
family members know what to who might be at risk.
do and where to go in the even
of a landslide.

Avoid actions that would Listen for unusual sounds

increase instability. For
example, do not build near top
or base place fill on steep
slopes; do not drain pools or
otherwise increase water flow
down steep slopes.
such as trees cracking or
boulders knocking
together, as they could
indicate moving debris.

If unstable slopes cannot be

avoided, tehre are numerous
Those who live near
engineered solutions to deter
bodies of water should
landslides including:
observe changes in water
-improving drainage flow and appearance.
- reduce angle of the slope
Muddy water could
- excavating to unload the top indicate mud, moving
of the slope debris, and fallen rocks.
- building a protective berm or
wall to buttress the bottom of
the slope. Stay alert and awake
during severe storm to
monitor changes in your
surroundings.

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BEFORE DURING AFTER
If indoors: -Stay away from the
slide areas.
- Find cover in the
section of the building - Check for injured
that is furthest away persons near the slides.
from the approaching
- Listen to local radio or
landslide.
televisions for latest
- Take shelter under a emergency information.
strong table or bench.
- Report broken utility
Hold on firmly and stay lines
put until all movement has
- Replant damaged ground
ceased.

If outdoors:

- Move quickly away from

its likely path, keeping
clear of embankments,
trees, power lines and
poles.

- Stay away from the

landslide. The slope may
experience additional
failures for hours to days
afterwards.

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Thank you !

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