A major international effort under way at Guinsaugon will become a search for up to 1,500 bodies if officials formally conclude that no one could still be alive under hundreds of tons of mud and rock.

“International experts will meet early tonight to decide whether to continue [searching for survivors]. They will then make representations to the [provincial] governor,” said Maj. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, head of the Philippine rescue effort.

Several rescue officials have said for days that no one could have survived. But publicly at least, others have refused to concede that all hope is lost.

The hopes of anguished relatives were raised briefly when rescuers Monday reported hearing noises through electronic listening probes, although they were unsure if the sounds were human. Nothing was heard Tuesday.

Gov. Rosette Lerias of Southern Leyte refused to abandon hope.

Hundreds of rescuers from at least five countries are working to locate and dig down to the barangay’s elementary school and community hall, the focuses of the operation. Some 240 children and staff are feared buried in the school.

A sea of mud and rock 30 meters thick in a few places covers a nine-square-kilometer area where the farming village once stood. Frequent rain changes the terrain.

Earlier claims that the school had been located appeared to be premature.

Teams were searching an area of roughly 100 square meters for the school, which is thought to have been swept off its foundations.

“We believe we got the right area,” said Lt. Joel Servinas, head of a Philippine rescue team on the ground. “The school was pushed about 1,000 meters from its actual site. What we need are maps and municipal surveyors here.”

Lerias said 107 bodies had been recovered and the Philippine National Red Cross said 94 bodies and 11 body parts had been recovered. Civil defense officials said 980 people were missing.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo flew to Guinsaugon by helicopter from Cebu City Wednesday to thank rescuers. She met briefly with Former First Lady Imelda Marcos, who drove down to visit the scene.

Aid and specialist equipment and staff have poured in from around the world with former colonial power the United States taking a lead role.

China has pledged $250,000 in cash aid and $750,000 in material assistance to the disaster victims.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency sent two experts to Guinsaugon to assess the damage caused by the landslide.

JICA said Yoshio Tokunaga and Wataru Sakurai, both assigned to the JICA-Department of Public Works and Highways Project “Strengthening the Flood Management Function of DPWH,” will join public works engineers in conducting a land and aerial survey of the stricken area.

DPWH Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr. ordered the mobilization of all DPWH-owned heavy equipment and maintenance crew in Eastern Visayas to help in the retrieval operations in Barangay Guinsaugon, Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte.

“If the DPWH equipment is not enough, the private constructors should also extend assistance in the retrieval operations,” Ebdane said.

He has also ordered Bureau of Equipment director Virgilio Arpafo to deploy all available equipment in the area to open up roads affected by landslides. This is to ensure the smooth flow of relief and rescue efforts in the vicinity.

“Opening up of roads affected by rocks and landslides should be round-the-clock operations,” Ebdane said.

Jaime Pacanan, DPWH director for Eastern Visayas, reported that all national roads blocked by rocks and landslides are now open to traffic except in Barangay Agas-agas along the Mahaplag-Sogod boundary on Maharlika Highway.

The collapsed Agas-agas Road, with an estimated 20,000 cubic meters of rocks and landslides, is totally closed to traffic. Clearing operations are ongoing, Pacanan said.

An estimated 15,000 cubic meters of rocks and landslides have piled up in Olisihan and 20,000 cubic meters in Sitio Baling Tulay, Kahupian.

A detour road in Lipanto along Himayangan-Silago Road was opened to divert traffic.

“We advise the motoring public to use this Lipanto detour road to avert untoward accidents,” Pacanan said.

Southern Leyte district engineer Carlos Veloso also reported that national roads leading to Pacific and Panaon and the Bato-Bontoc Road are now passable to all types of vehicles.