CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — Continuous torrential rains triggered a massive landslide in the upland areas of this city late on Wednesday afternoon, May 26, 2026, causing a large portion of a mountain to collapse and completely blocking a vital rural highway.

The incident occurred in Sitio Salimbal, Barangay Tignapoloan, sending tons of mud, rocks, and debris cascading down onto the main road that connects the area to neighboring Barangay Besigan.

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) received the emergency report past 7:00 PM on Wednesday after motorists found themselves cut off by the sudden mountain collapse.

Video footage captured by local residents showed mud above knee-deep obstructing the highway. Desperate to get home, several motorists were forced to physically lift and carry their motorcycles over the thick, slick debris field to reach the other side.

Fortunately, early assessments from disaster officials bring some relief. Because the immediate vicinity of the collapse lacks housing, no residential structures were damaged, and thankfully, no casualties or injuries have been reported.

CDRRMO Head Nick Jabagat noted that the region has been experiencing relentless afternoon downpours, which severely oversaturated the soil. He revealed that this specific mountainside was already highly vulnerable.

"It has been raining almost every afternoon in the mountains," Jabagat stated in a local interview. "According to City Engineer Momongan, this area has already experienced a landslide in the past, so there was already notable soil movement before this incident."

Heavy equipment and crews from the City Engineering Office were deployed immediately to the site to begin clearing operations. Workers have been working in shifts to scrape away the thick mud and reopen the critical access road for the upland barangays.

While clearing operations continue, local authorities are warning residents in Cagayan de Oro’s mountainous regions to stay highly vigilant. With the rainy weather expected to persist over the next few days, the risk of secondary landslides remains a serious threat to commuter safety and remote settlements.