TAGOLOAN, Misamis Oriental — Heavy rains triggered a landslide that buried an excavator and killed its driver, a 29-year-old newly hired backhoe operator, at a quarry site in Barangay Casinglot, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) reported Saturday.

Police Major Joan Navarro, Northern Mindanao Police Regional Office spokesperson, said an initial report showed that the victim, Michael Alfonso, was married and a resident of Kalilangan, Bukidnon. He was extracting sand at the Antillon quarry site when heavy rains began pouring.

At that point, quarry operations were ordered suspended. However, as Alfonso was backing out, boulders, rocks and gravel cascaded down the slope and buried the excavator several feet into the quarry site.

The landslide nearly hit the temporary quarters where several workers were staying at the time.

Rescue workers responded to the accident and used heavy equipment to extract the victim from the rubble.

After two hours, the victim’s body was pulled from the excavator driver’s seat and rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Navarro said the MDRRMO is conducting an investigation into the accident to determine whether there was criminal negligence or administrative lapses.

The quarry operator reportedly has already coordinated with the victim’s family, and necessary assistance has been extended.