The search for hundreds of residents of Guinsaugon village in St. Bernard town, Southern Leyte, buried by a massive landslide Friday will be long and difficult, and we can only hope we will find some of the missing alive, Jose Antonio Mabayag, head of the Philippine National Red Cross rescue team from Negros Occidental who is now in the area, said yesterday.

Mabayag said he and his teammates are part of about 1,000 rescuers from around the country who have been joined by the US Marines, Taiwanese with thermal detection equipment, and Malaysian Red Crescent volunteers. Japan is also providing emergency relief goods.

Miners, who brought along equipment and generators, have also joined the rescue operations, Mabayag said.

Rescuers roped themselves together for safety as they picked their way through a sea of mud is search for about missing villagers but hopes for survivors were fading.

Pope Benedict XVI yesterday prayed for the landslide victims saying "our hearts turn to all those suffering."

"I ask you to join me in praying for the victims, their loved ones and all those affected. May the grieving families experience the consolation of the Lord's presence and rescue workers be assured of our concern and support," he said.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council last night said 68 bodies had been recovered, but 941 residents of Guinsaugon were still unaccounted for up to late yesterday.

A British national Trevor White was among those believed buried in the landslide.

Mass burials began yesterday to prevent disease from spreading, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said.

Other members of the Negros team in Leyte are Gefegliene Geralao, Hnebin Baylon, Enrique Toda Jr. and Eddie Silvano. Also with them is the head of PNRC Negros Bacolod Chapter Geevy Gregorio.

Mabayag said digging through the mud that covered a school with 200 pupils and 40 teachers has been difficult because the situation is very unstable, with mud and rocks still occasionally rolling down from the mountain.

"There is talk of missed calls from those buried in the school house but we do not know if anyone is still alive there. We are hoping there are," he said.

Mabayag said that at one point during the rescue work, mud started rolling down the mountain so all rescue workers had to be pulled out of the area.

"The mud is like quicksand. It is very deep and you have to be very careful," said Maj. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, who is heading the rescue effort in Guinsaugon.

After two weeks of abnormally heavy rain, an entire mountainside collapsed onto the village Friday morning, covering an area of nine square kilometers with mud and boulders.

"We can't move very fast and it's very difficult to bring in advanced heavy equipment because it may just get sucked into the mud," Ramos said.

"We need special drilling equipment to detect if there are still signs of life underneath," said Ramos. "The ground is very soft and we need all the help we can get."

Gov. Joseph Marañon said the provincial government and other local government units of Negros Occidental are pooling about P100,000 together to send to St. Bernard.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the city government will conduct a campaign for assistance for the residents of the devastated village, while the Diocese of Bacolod Social Action Center and the PNRC in Bacolod are conducting similar drives.

Leonardia also said he has tasked the Office of Sectoral Concerns to lead Task Force St. Bernard and they will tap civic organizations, businesses, schools, and the media for a coordinated campaign for help for the landslide victims.

The PNRC in Bacolod is also accepting donations in cash and in kind, like noodles, canned goods, blankets, coffee. Edyll Tan said donors can call 4341344 or 4348541.*CPG/AFP

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