The death toll from a dumpsite collapse in the central Philippine city of Cebu has risen to eight as of Sunday morning, as search and rescue operations continue. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the Central Visayas region said 12 individuals have been rescued so far, all of whom sustained injuries, while more than 20 others remained unaccounted for as of Monday morning, four days after a mountain of garbage collapsed on Thursday afternoon. Most of those still unaccounted for are believed to be sanitation workers, according to the city's disaster risk and management council.
Rescue teams have been carefully removing debris using acetylene torches, backhoes, and a 50-ton crane, while managing hazards posed by unstable trash mounds that continue to emit methane and carbon gases, authorities said, adding that rescuers have not yet been able to confirm whether there are any signs of life beneath the rubble. "Response teams remain on high alert and committed to exhausting all efforts to locate the missing and ensure the safety of everyone involved. Continuous updates will be provided as operations progress," the BFP-Cebu City said.
The cause of the collapse has not been confirmed, but city officials said poor waste management practices may have contributed.
Locals attributed the collapse to the heavy rainfall that occurred in the days earlier. They also previously reported noticing cracks in the mountain due to Typhoon Kalmaegi hitting the province.
Death toll in Philippine landfill collapse climbs to 8 as rescue efforts continue
China's two major power grid operators -- the State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid) and China Southern Power Grid (CSG) -- reported a surge in investment in the first quarter of 2026, underscoring efforts to strengthen infrastructure construction and support high-quality socioeconomic development in China.
The State Grid said it completed fixed-asset investment worth 129 billion yuan (about 18.77 billion U.S. dollars) in the first three months of this year, up 37 percent the corresponding period of the previous year. The spending has driven more than 250 billion yuan (36 billion U.S. dollars) of investment across the wider industrial chain.
Key projects such as the Panxi ultra-high-voltage (UHV) alternating current (AC) line and the Anhui-Hubei back-to-back direct current (DC) project have seen ground broken for their construction, while several west-to-east power transmission projects have been upgraded.
Investment in connecting renewable energy generation to the grid was reported to have exceeded 10 billion yuan (1.45 billion U.S. dollars) from January to March, a year-on-year rise of more than 50 percent.
The CSG also reported robust growth in investment in the three-month period, with fixed-asset investment reaching 38.45 billion yuan (5.58 billion U.S. dollars), up about 50 percent from a year earlier.
Among its achievements, the company completed and commissioned 80 key projects, including the 220 kV cross-sea power grid interconnection project, which was officially put into operation on March 20. The project ended years of grid isolation on the Weizhou Island in south China by linking it to the main power system of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The construction of 17 other major energy projects, including one linking the power grid of the Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China with that of Guangdong Province in south China, is advancing rapidly. These projects are expected to bolster regional industries, the maritime economy, digital collaboration and the transition to green energy.
"By accelerating major project construction, investment during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) is expected to approach 1 trillion yuan (145 billion U.S. dollars), driving a further 2 trillion yuan (290 billion U.S. dollars) of investment across upstream and downstream industries," said Dong Yanle, deputy general manager of the Engineering Construction Department under the China Southern Power Grid.
China ramps up power grid investment in January-March to boost growth
