Philippines to observe day of mourning as landfill collapse death toll at 13

The Philippines will observe a day of mourning Friday as the death toll from a landfill collapse has risen to 13, with 23 missing, media reports said Wednesday.

The Cebu City council declared Jan. 16 as a day of mourning for the victims of the Binaliw landfill landslide, at it approved a motion on the declaration of a state of calamity for the city, according to the ABS-CBN news outlet.

"This is a solemn recognition of the tragic landslide incident that occurred in Barangay Binaliw which claimed lives that cost immeasurable grief," said Councilor Jun Alcover.

Search operations for a seventh day Wednesday were still underway for 23 workers believed to be trapped under the debris.

The accident took place Thursday at a privately operated landfill facility in Cebu City in the Central Visayas region, where workers on site.

Rescue teams continue to use heavy machinery and manual digging as hopes ebb of locating survivors.