Posted by Today marks 15 years since the devastating trash slide in Manila, the Philippines. More than 250 died and hundreds got injured. Many are still missing.
July in 2000 had very poor weather in the Philippines. Typhoons Kirogi and Kai-Tak passed over the main island Luzon and had major impact on the people and infrastructure. The heavy rain shower were never ending.
People living at the garbage dump call the area Lupang Pangako or “The Promised Land”. The have moved from the poor country side to Manila to find a better life, many end up in slums with no hope. At the garbage dump they have the possibility to make a living through looking for recyclable items that they sell to the junk shops.
Early in the morning of Monday, July 10, 2000 things changed the lives of many of those living on the dump and its surroundings. Many people were still sleeping in their shacks, others have just woken up and were preparing for school and work. From the 3.5 million cubic meter garbage mountain suddenly a giant avalanche of sour garbage releases and burying several hundred people in their homes. Panic spreads, and immediately a gigantic rescue work commenced that lasted for several weeks.
Relatives and friends were waiting for the impossible through the coming days and nights.
I was in Manila at the time and went to the disaster site and I have returned many times since then, latest in April of this year. I have many facts, stories and pictures from the dump and will share them here on the blog. I start of with some general pics from the dump and the disaster. This is a long term project of mine and there will be more to come.
