5 Dead as Massive Landslide Buries Homes in Guisad Surong, Baguio City

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — At least five people have been confirmed dead after a massive landslide collapsed onto three homes in the Riverside area of Barangay Guisad Surong on Sunday evening, August 9, 2026. Continuous heavy rains brought by the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) triggered the sudden slope collapse at around 7:00 p.m., burying multiple families under mud and heavy debris.

Dozens of emergency personnel—including crews from the Baguio City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), local police, firefighters, and volunteer responders—rushed to ground zero to begin clearing operations under pouring rain.

Rescuers successfully pulled three survivors alive from the rubble, transporting them to a local hospital for urgent medical evaluation, though the death toll rose to five after search crews recovered the body of a toddler on Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, first responders continue digging through thick soil using life-detecting equipment and search cameras in a relentless effort to locate several residents who remain unaccounted for.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong established an Incident Command Post at the site to directly supervise search efforts and coordinate relief measures. Authorities have ordered preemptive evacuations for households adjacent to the collapse zone due to the risk of secondary slides caused by saturated soil.

Dozens of displaced families are currently sheltering in temporary evacuation centers, including the Guisad Surong Barangay Hall and nearby facilities, where local social welfare officers are providing warm meals, medical assistance, and psychosocial support. Official disaster response agencies continue to monitor the site as clearing operations precede without interruption.

Geologists from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) have been dispatched to conduct an immediate hazard assessment of the surrounding slopes to evaluate soil stability. Preliminary inspections indicate that days of relentless downpours have severely compromised the structural integrity of the hillside, raising concerns about potential ground movement in nearby residential pockets across northern Baguio.

The tragedy has prompted city officials to issue heightened landslip warnings across vulnerable mountain barangays, urging residents living near steep slopes or riverbanks to remain vigilant and comply with local evacuation orders. Heavy machinery and additional technical teams are being mobilized to accelerate debris clearing while weather forecasters warn that intermittent monsoon rains are expected to persist throughout the week.