Negros Oriental, retrieved yesterday afternoon the decomposing bodies of a pregnant woman and her two young children, who were buried in a landslide triggered by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake Monday.

The three were the first to be recovered from the Planas landslide amid early reports of dimming hopes for survivors of the two big landslides, one in Planas and in Solonggon, La Libertad town.

Guihulngan Councilor Jessica Villarmente identified the victims as Maritess Nocos Jimenez, 32; her daughter Christie, 2; and son Arvin, 1.

Although in an advanced state of decomposition, the bodies were identified through their clothing and by the husband, whose name was not made available as of press time.

The mother and her son were found almost next to each other while the daughter was found a few feet away.

Residents said the family’s house was at a higher elevation before the mountain collapsed.

Rescue workers from different government and private groups were in Planas since Tuesday for search, rescue and retrieval operations after at least 24 people were reported missing and believed buried under the landslide. The landslide area is so vast and hardly accessible, which made it impossible to bring in heavy equipment to retrieve those believed buried underground.

Mike Gorne of the Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade and team leader of the group deployed to Planas said that around noon yesterday, relatives of the victims noticed an unusually large swarm of flies in certain portions of the landslide area.

Buckling down to work using only picks and shovels, rescuers dug up the victims’ bodies in shallow ground, between one to four feet underneath the rubble, Gorne said.

Villarmente said body bags were immediately sent to Planas for the cadavers while arrangements are being made for the local government unit to provide burial and other forms of assistance to the victims’ family.

Among those still helping out in the retrieval operations at the Planas landslide are volunteers and rescue workers from the Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, Amity Fire Brigade Volunteers from Bacolod City, Philex Mining Corporation, Phil Saga, Apex, and a group coming from Albay.

Rescue workers said there is no timeline yet as to when retrieval operations will end despite problems being encountered such as little provisions like food and water, unpredictable weather which would bring rains and trigger more landslides, and the inaccessibility of the area.*JFP

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