Dog helps rescue 3-year-old in Davao de Oro landslide

Philippine Coast Guard humanitarian rescue K9 dog, "Appa," helped rescue a three-year-old girl who was trapped underground for 60 hours after a landslide hit Barangay Masara in Maco davao de Oro last Friday, 6 February.

"Appa, highly trained and dedicated member of the Coast Guard K-9 Search and Rescue Unit, has demonstrated exceptional skills in traversing the challenging terrain and aiding rescuers in locating at least 3 cadavers," the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao said.

"Appa's keen sense of smell and agility remains an essential part of the Coast Guard's efforts," it added.

According to CGDSEM, "Appa," the aspin with a golden retriever mix, also found a body part of an unidentified individual during the ongoing search and retrieval operations.

The number of fatalities from the Macao, Davao de Oro landslide climbed to 35 as of Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, 77 persons were still missing.