Landslides kill 7 in S. Philippines amid heavy rains

MANILA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) : Rain-induced landslides in the provinces of Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental in the southern Philippines have killed at least seven people, authorities said Friday.

The Philippine Red Cross said its team retrieved three bodies from the landslide that struck a village of Monkayo town in Davao de Oro province on Thursday night.

"Authorities continue to assess the area to ensure the safety of residents and responders," Philippine Red Cross Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Gordon said in a social media post.

A landslide also buried a family of four in Mati City, Davao Oriental, on Friday morning, the city's fire station said in a social media post.

Gordon said heavy rainfall from the prevailing shear line triggered flooding and landslides in parts of Mindanao early Friday, affecting communities in Surigao del Sur, Davao de Oro, and Davao Oriental.

He said the Red Cross chapters in the affected provinces were on heightened alert, with continuous monitoring and rapid response operations underway.

In Bislig City, Surigao del Sur province, the Red Cross said flooding reached waist-to-chest-deep levels in several communities, prompting Red Cross teams to conduct evacuations as waters rose. Volunteers assisted families in moving to safer areas.

The Red Cross said monitoring and coordination with local disaster risk reduction and management offices remain ongoing as authorities continue to assess damage and ensure the safety of affected residents.