BAGUIO CITY — More than 20 soil erosion and landslide incidents have been recorded across Baguio City as prolonged monsoon rains saturated the ground, displacing families and leaving several people dead or missing.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said a week of continuous downpours caused soil saturation across several barangays.

Disaster officials recorded 75 affected families, or 351 individuals, with 40 families currently staying in evacuation centers. At least 23 soil erosion incidents and collapsed retaining structures have been documented citywide.

The most severe incident occurred in Purok 2, Guisad Surong, where a hillside collapsed and destroyed three houses.

As of 10 August 2026, seven people had been retrieved from the debris. Three survived and were taken to a hospital for medical evaluation, while four were declared dead. Six others remained missing.

The survivors were identified as a 77-year-old pastor, a 27-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman.

Those who died included a 56-year-old man, a 17-year-old female student, a 9-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy.

Around 150 responders were involved in search and retrieval operations, working in rotations because of persistent rain, fatigue and hazardous terrain. Teams used crevice cameras and life detectors to search through the debris.

Social workers also provided assistance to the victims’ families, while survivors and affected families are expected to receive psychosocial support.

Authorities said the Guisad Surong area, which experienced a similar erosion incident in 1970, has steep slopes that continue to pose risks to responders.

Other high-risk areas being monitored include Puroks 24, 25 and 26 in Barangay Irisan and sections of the Asin and San Luis barangays.

Citing assessments by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Magalong said about 85 percent of Baguio is classified as hazard-prone terrain, while only 2 percent to 3 percent of the city’s total land area is considered geologically stable.

Magalong urged residents to watch for ground cracks, leaning trees and other signs of soil movement and to immediately report potential hazards through the 911 emergency hotline.