Local residents say that up to 500 are still buried under the rubbish, while local officials put the number at just 140. The rescue work was hampered by the overwhelming stench of rotting rubbish and burnt flesh, and lack of adequate equipment. All rescuers and volunteers had to use were shovels, picks and spades. Many relatives and survivors used their bare hands. Only two backhoes were made available.
Desperate relatives continue to search through the rubble hoping to find their loved ones alive.
They also found the body of her daughter but its head was gone. The mountain of garbage had begun to slide on Sunday July 9, before giving way the next day. The subsequent fire was apparently caused by fallen power cables or overturned stoves in the shacks. Survivors told reporters that they heard a rumbling followed by an avalanche of garbage. Then there was an explosion.