DAVAO CITY, Philippines — A massive, mountain-like pile of garbage collapsed at a city sanitary landfill in Barangay New Carmen, Tugbok District early Wednesday afternoon, killing a 31-year-old scavenger, injuring two others, and leaving two elderly women missing under the debris.

The incident occurred at approximately 1:15 p.m. on May 20, 2026. According to the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), a deluge of heavy rains over the preceding days triggered a severe water buildup underneath the towering mounds of waste. The unstable structure ultimately gave way, sending tons of garbage sliding violently down a slope toward a cluster of residential homes built in the lower-lying area.

The forceful trash slide completely buried and swept away at least one house.

Authorities identified the deceased victim as Cristel, a 31-year-old resident and scavenger from Purok 8 in Barangay New Carmen. Two other individuals—a 16-year-old male and an adult female from the same community—sustained injuries during the collapse and were rushed to a nearby hospital for immediate medical treatment.

An urgent search and rescue operation is underway for two senior citizens missing under the rubble, identified by local police as 78-year-old Luisa and 67-year-old Rosita.

"Based on eyewitness accounts, the trash just suddenly gave way," said Barangay New Carmen Chairman Jerry Siballos in a local statement. "Because it had been raining for several days, the garbage became incredibly heavy, causing the ground to shift."

DCPO Chief Colonel Peter Madria confirmed that personnel from Police Station Maa immediately deployed to the site alongside the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and specialized Urban Search and Rescue teams. Responders are preparing to utilize heavy excavation equipment to carefully shift the massive volume of waste in hopes of locating the missing women.

Due to fears of further ground instability and secondary slides, local officials enforced an immediate, mandatory evacuation of the surrounding neighborhood. A total of 123 families—comprising 374 individuals—have been displaced from their homes and are currently being sheltered at the barangay gymnasium.

The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) has stepped in to coordinate relief supplies, food packs, and psychological support for both the displaced residents and the grieving families of the victims.

The tragedy in Tugbok District underscores a perilous trend across the country. This incident is the third major waste-facility disaster to hit the Philippines in 2026 alone, following a catastrophic trash slide at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City in January, and another deadly collapse at the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill in February.

Davao City's landfill in Barangay New Carmen—a seven-hectare site that handles roughly 600 to 700 tons of daily waste—had previously been flagged by environmental experts and local officials as nearing its maximum capacity limit, prompting ongoing local government debates regarding expansion and the implementation of more robust material recovery facilities.

Colonel Madria extended the police force's deep sympathies to the affected families and urged communities living near high-risk landfill zones to remain highly vigilant, monitor signs of ground movement, and cooperate closely with disaster teams during heavy downpours.