CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A 29-year-old backhoe operator was killed Thursday afternoon when a landslide struck and buried the excavator he was operating while extracting gravel at a quarry in Barangay Casinglot, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
The victim was identified as Michael Alfonso, 30, of Kalilangan, Bukidnon.
The accident happened after 1:00 p.m. while Alfonso was extracting sand from a hill at the Antillon quarry site when stones, rocks and gravel cascaded down the slope, burying the excavator several meters into the quarry.
The landslide almost hit the temporary quarters where several workers were staying at the time.
Rescuers responded and used heavy equipment to extricate the victim from the debris.
After about two hours, rescuers recovered Alfonso’s mutilated body from the driver’s seat of the bulldozer.
Authorities had earlier warned that heavy rains could trigger landslides in flood-prone areas, including the quarry site.
