Landslide Kills Seven in Malapatan, Sarangani as Typhoon Inday Rains Bury Two Homes

In a recent ANC 24/7 report, details emerged of the deadly landslide that struck Sitio Pandao, also called Sitio Blesong Fundao, in Barangay Poblacion, Malapatan, Sarangani Province, where at least seven people died and three remain missing after two houses were buried around 3:00 AM on Friday, July 10, 2026. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office confirmed the figures from the site where one structure housed two families caught in the early morning collapse. Heavy rains from Typhoon Inday, known internationally as Bavi, triggered the slide in this southern Philippine community.

Landslide Kills Seven in Malapatan Sitio Pandao as Typhoon Inday Rains Bury Two Homes

Manila, Philippines – July 10, 2026 — Rescue teams continue searching for three missing residents in Sitio Pandao, Barangay Poblacion, Malapatan, Sarangani Province, after a landslide killed seven people and destroyed two houses at approximately 3:00 AM on Friday, July 10, 2026. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that one of the buried structures sheltered two families when the slope gave way under continuous downpours from Typhoon Inday.

The Landslide

The landslide hit Sitio Pandao, also referred to as Sitio Blesong Fundao, in Barangay Poblacion of Malapatan, Sarangani Province, at 3:00 AM on Friday, July 10, 2026. Two houses disappeared under mud and debris, with one building containing two families at the time of the collapse. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office recorded seven confirmed deaths and three people still unaccounted for from the site.

Residents in Barangay Poblacion described the sudden rush of earth that covered the homes without warning during the pre-dawn hours. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office immediately coordinated initial assessments after receiving reports from neighbors who heard the rumble. This event marks another instance of slope failure in Sarangani Province communities built along hilly terrain near the coast.

The specific location in Sitio Pandao lies within the poblacion area where families maintain close-knit ties typical of Mindanao barangays. Seven deaths represent entire households lost in minutes, while the three missing individuals include relatives who may have been inside the second structure. Local responders focus efforts on the exact coordinates provided by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Typhoon Inday's Role

Typhoon Inday, with the international name Bavi, produced the continuous heavy rains that loosened the slope above Sitio Pandao in Malapatan, Sarangani Province. The storm maintained maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h near its center and gusts reaching 205 km/h even as it weakened while crossing the Philippine area of responsibility. PAGASA continues to track the system as it moves toward extreme Northern Luzon.

Signal No. 1 was raised over 12 areas in Northern Luzon on July 10, 2026, while southern provinces including Sarangani experienced the outer rain bands. Typhoon Inday was expected to pass closest to extreme Northern Luzon between Friday night and Saturday morning on July 11. These rains fell steadily on Malapatan for hours before the 3:00 AM landslide in Barangay Poblacion.

PAGASA bulletins detail how Inday's moisture interacted with local topography in Sarangani, creating conditions for flash flooding and landslides in sitios like Pandao. The storm's path from the east brought prolonged precipitation across Mindanao before shifting northward. Communities in Barangay Poblacion felt the effects directly through saturated ground that failed under the weight of accumulated water.

Rescue and Response

Search and rescue operations remain active for the three missing persons in Sitio Pandao, Barangay Poblacion, Malapatan. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office leads the effort with local teams working through debris at the two buried house sites. Operations focus on the precise area where the families lived before the 3:00 AM event on July 10, 2026.

Responders from Malapatan coordinate with provincial resources to clear paths and listen for any signs from those still unaccounted for. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office has maintained continuous presence since the first reports reached their office. These teams operate under difficult conditions created by ongoing rain from Typhoon Inday.

Local volunteers from surrounding barangays in Sarangani Province join the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office crews to expand coverage around the landslide zone. The priority stays on locating the three missing individuals while securing the site against further movement. Updates from the office continue to reach families waiting in Barangay Poblacion.

Impact on Communities

Families in Barangay Poblacion, Malapatan, now face the loss of seven neighbors and uncertainty over three others after the Sitio Pandao landslide. The two destroyed houses represented homes where daily life centered on community ties common in Sarangani Province. Residents must now rebuild while coping with the immediate absence of loved ones.

The event disrupts routines in this coastal municipality where many rely on fishing and small-scale farming. Children from the affected families attended local schools in Malapatan, and the sudden deaths create gaps felt across the barangay. Community members gather to support those left behind in the wake of Typhoon Inday's rains.

Sarangani Province communities like Barangay Poblacion often share resources during crises, reflecting bayanihan practices that help families recover. The landslide at 3:00 AM on July 10, 2026, tested these bonds as neighbors assisted the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in the initial response. Long-term recovery will require sustained attention to housing needs in Sitio Pandao.

Government Response

The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Malapatan issued the official casualty report of seven dead and three missing from the Sitio Pandao landslide. This office coordinates all immediate actions at the Barangay Poblacion site while monitoring conditions tied to Typhoon Inday. Local officials maintain contact with provincial authorities in Sarangani for additional support.

PAGASA provides ongoing weather updates that guide decisions by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office regarding continued operations. The agency tracks Typhoon Inday's movement toward Northern Luzon, where Signal No. 1 covers 12 areas. These forecasts help responders in Malapatan anticipate further risks in the coming hours.

National agencies receive reports from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to assess needs across affected southern provinces. The focus remains on completing the search in Sitio Pandao before addressing longer-term measures for landslide-prone areas in Sarangani. Coordination between local and national levels ensures resources reach Barangay Poblacion families promptly.

What to Watch For

Search operations in Sitio Pandao will continue through the weekend as Typhoon Inday approaches extreme Northern Luzon between Friday night and Saturday morning on July 11. PAGASA warnings remain in effect for 12 areas under Signal No. 1, while southern regions like Sarangani monitor residual rains. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office will update counts from the two buried houses in Barangay Poblacion.

Communities across Malapatan prepare for possible additional ground movement in hilly sitios near the landslide zone. Families in Barangay Poblacion watch for further guidance from local officials on temporary shelter and support services. The three missing persons stay at the center of ongoing efforts by rescue teams.

Longer-term attention will turn to strengthening early warning systems in Sarangani Province following this event linked directly to Typhoon Inday. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office plans assessments of other vulnerable spots in Malapatan to prevent similar losses. Residents of Sitio Pandao and surrounding areas will need sustained assistance as recovery begins.

By Bella Reyes, Staff Writer