The Philippine Online Chronicles

At least 25 persons were killed while 100 more residents are feared to have been buried in a landslide which occurred in a mining site in Compostela Valley province Thursday dawn.

The landslide took place at 3:45 a.m. in Purok Diat Uno, Barangay Napnapan, Pantukan town, village leader Paciano Banuelos Jr. said in an abs-cbnnews.com report. Pantukan town hosts several mining operations for gold, silver and copper.

Casualties are being transferred to the town proper of Pantukan while seven dumptrucks have been dispatched by the local government to help in the rescue of the dozens more still missing, a report said.

Earlier, Police Senior Inspector Werenfredo Reidor said at least 16 people were killed in the landslide.

"Bandang 4 a.m., may nagreport na may nangyaring landslide... Initially may report sa amin na may narecover na 6 na sa Diat Uno, then may sampu sa Diat Dos. Ang pagkasabi may higit 100 posibleng natabunan sa pagguho," Police Senior Inspector Werenfredo Reidor said in an earlier report.

Reidor said the affected area did not experience heavy rains overnight.

Most of the victims are likely small-scale miners and their families who stay in the mining site, according to Reidor. He said they are having difficulty obtaining more details as the cellular phone signals in the area are weak.

"Madilim kanina nang nag-landslide.  May contact person tayo sa area pero mahirap kuha ng details kasi walang signal," he said.

The provincial government will order a forced evacuation for residents living in similar high-risk areas in the province, according to a report.

In April last year, a massive landslide in the same town in Compostela Valley killed at least 13 persons while more than 100 families were displaced.