RAV TUX
December 3rd, 2006, 03:56 AM
My heart goes out to our brothers and sisters in the Philippines...
Philippines buries typhoon dead
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42380000/jpg/_42380608_ap_mud_203credit.jpg Rescuers spent the day searching for victims
Victims of recent mudslides in the Philippines are being buried in a mass grave to prevent the spread of disease. The mudslides were triggered by Typhoon Durian, which hit the country on Thursday. They engulfed villages south-east of the capital Manila.
The official death toll stands at 300, with another 300 missing. Hopes of finding more survivors are dwindling.
The relief effort is progressing slowly, with soldiers having to walk for hours to reach affected areas.
The worst affected vilages are Daraga, Busay and Santo Domingo, near the Mayon volcano, 350km (220 miles) from Manila.
The first funerals were carried out late on Saturday, as bodies decomposed in the heat.
Local official Gene Villareal told the Associated Press news agency that some victims had been buried in a mass grave as a precaution.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42373000/gif/_42373634_phil_mount_mayon_2_203.gif
"We opted to do this because we might have an epidemic, which could be expected because of the high number of evacuees and homeless," he said.
Officials say more than 40,000 people have been displaced by the mudslides.
The BBC's Sarah Toms, in the Philippines, says people have been using their bare hands to pull bodies from the thick sludge.
About 100 miners have arrived to help with rescue efforts and army commanders have asked for dog teams to help with the search.
Foreign help
Many of the survivors, who have lost not only their homes but their livelihoods too after fruit trees and rice paddies were destroyed, have crammed into makeshift shelters in schools and churches.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_enl_1165070979/img/laun.jpg (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_enl_1165070979/html/1.stm)
Dark mud surrounds villages and covers the usually green hills
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/inline_dashed_line.gif
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/icons/open_icon.gifEnlarge Image (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:%20void%20window.open%28%27http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_enl_1165070979/html/1.stm%27,%20%271165071046%27,%20%27toolbar=0,scrol lbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable =1,width=600,height=478,left=312,top=100%27%29;)
Disaster agencies say there is an urgent need for fresh water, food and medicine for the survivors, and more body bags.
Typhoon Durian brought heavy rain and winds of up to 225 kph (140 mph).
The rain dislodged ash and boulders from the slopes of the Mayon volcano, causing landslides which engulfed nearby villages.
Cedric Daep, head of the provincial Disaster Control Council, said waters had risen so fast that people could not escape from their houses.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the military to assist medical teams in reaching submerged villages.
Canada has pledged more than US$800,000 to help the relief effort and Japan says it will give more than a $170,000.
Durian - named after a spiky Asian fruit - is the fourth typhoon to hit the Philippines in the last three months.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6203110.stm
Philippines buries typhoon dead
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42380000/jpg/_42380608_ap_mud_203credit.jpg Rescuers spent the day searching for victims
Victims of recent mudslides in the Philippines are being buried in a mass grave to prevent the spread of disease. The mudslides were triggered by Typhoon Durian, which hit the country on Thursday. They engulfed villages south-east of the capital Manila.
The official death toll stands at 300, with another 300 missing. Hopes of finding more survivors are dwindling.
The relief effort is progressing slowly, with soldiers having to walk for hours to reach affected areas.
The worst affected vilages are Daraga, Busay and Santo Domingo, near the Mayon volcano, 350km (220 miles) from Manila.
The first funerals were carried out late on Saturday, as bodies decomposed in the heat.
Local official Gene Villareal told the Associated Press news agency that some victims had been buried in a mass grave as a precaution.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42373000/gif/_42373634_phil_mount_mayon_2_203.gif
"We opted to do this because we might have an epidemic, which could be expected because of the high number of evacuees and homeless," he said.
Officials say more than 40,000 people have been displaced by the mudslides.
The BBC's Sarah Toms, in the Philippines, says people have been using their bare hands to pull bodies from the thick sludge.
About 100 miners have arrived to help with rescue efforts and army commanders have asked for dog teams to help with the search.
Foreign help
Many of the survivors, who have lost not only their homes but their livelihoods too after fruit trees and rice paddies were destroyed, have crammed into makeshift shelters in schools and churches.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_enl_1165070979/img/laun.jpg (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_enl_1165070979/html/1.stm)
Dark mud surrounds villages and covers the usually green hills
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/inline_dashed_line.gif
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/icons/open_icon.gifEnlarge Image (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:%20void%20window.open%28%27http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_enl_1165070979/html/1.stm%27,%20%271165071046%27,%20%27toolbar=0,scrol lbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable =1,width=600,height=478,left=312,top=100%27%29;)
Disaster agencies say there is an urgent need for fresh water, food and medicine for the survivors, and more body bags.
Typhoon Durian brought heavy rain and winds of up to 225 kph (140 mph).
The rain dislodged ash and boulders from the slopes of the Mayon volcano, causing landslides which engulfed nearby villages.
Cedric Daep, head of the provincial Disaster Control Council, said waters had risen so fast that people could not escape from their houses.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the military to assist medical teams in reaching submerged villages.
Canada has pledged more than US$800,000 to help the relief effort and Japan says it will give more than a $170,000.
Durian - named after a spiky Asian fruit - is the fourth typhoon to hit the Philippines in the last three months.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6203110.stm