Philippine landslide death toll climbs to 35

MANILA -- The number of people killed by a landslide in the southern Philippines has risen to 35, an official said on Sunday, as rescue workers continued to dig through mud even as hope of finding more survivors dimmed. The landslide struck on Tuesday night outside a gold mine in Maco town in the province of Davao de Oro, burying homes and vehicles ferrying employees to the site operated by Apex Mining. Edward Macapili, an official of Davao de Oro province, said 35 people were reported dead, up from the 28 fatalities reported earlier. Asked if there were still survivors, Macapili said it was already "unlikely", but the search would continue. Torrential rains have battered Davao de Oro in recent weeks, triggering floods and landslides.