Death toll climbs to 55 in Philippines landslide

By Gizem Nisa Cebi

ISTANBUL (AA) - At least 55 bodies have been retrieved from the ground after a massive landslide hit two buses last week in the Philippines.

The incident happened last Tuesday at the Apex Mining Company site in the Maco area of Davao de Oro province in the Mindanao region.

The Management of the Dead and the Missing Cluster has been verifying the count of missing persons and unidentified bodies, according to a statement by the Maco town government on Monday.

Reports claim dozens of people are still missing.

Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Monday that the US military had joined relief efforts with two of its marine corps KC-130 "Hercules" to deliver aid to affected residents.

The landslides hit the waiting area where Filipino workers were aboard the two buses at around 7.30 p.m. (1130GMT) on Feb. 6.