(At least) 388 dead in Philippine mudslides

[muriel_volestrangler]

Hundreds of people were reported dead today after volcanic mudslides triggered by a powerful hurricane wreaked havoc in the Philippines.

The Red Cross said at least 388 people had died after rivers of mud as high as rooftops swept through villages surrounding the Mayon volcano, 190 miles south-east of Manila, in Albay province.
...
Typhoon Durian smashed into the Philippines with heavy rains and winds gusting up to 165mph, officials said. With power and phone lines downed by powerful winds, helicopters were carrying out aerial surveillance of cut-off areas. Officials estimated that the storm had affected some 22,000 people.

Graciano Yumul, of the department of science and technology, said the storm was particularly damaging because it came ashore yesterday in Catanduanes, an island province with no mountains to break the storm's momentum.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/naturaldisasters/story/0,,1961749,00.html

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. Phrogman, check in please

Hope you're OK!

[uppityperson]

2. bbc link, second is a few pictures.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6201176.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6199318.stm

[maddezmom]

3. Nearly 30,000 people were left homeless, rescue worker using bare hands

a snip:
Officials said the toll was rising by the minute as rescue workers, some using their bare hands, pulled corpses and body parts from the mud.

"It's already in the hundreds just covering four areas," Cedric Daep, head of the provincial disaster coordinating council told Reuters.

"Right now we are on retrieval operations. We do not believe there are any survivors."

Nearly 30,000 people were left homeless and whole communities were isolated as power lines and phone links were knocked out, bridges washed away and roads blocked by uprooted coconut trees, twisted metal roofs and tonnes of mud.

more:http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/12/01/philippines.typhoon.reut/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[JNelson6563]

4. These poor people!

I fear the body count will go much higher. I hope I am wrong.

Julie

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. kick! for updates

:shrug:

:cry:


BOOK TV Schedule - December 2nd - 4th
*John Edwards, ed., Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives
*Henry Louis Gates, Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience
*A World Ignited: How Apostles of Ethnic, Religious, and Racial Hatred Torch the Globe
*In Depth: Jimmy Carter - Live Call-in show! 3 hours!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2843827#2843857

[maddezmom]

6. Philippine rescuers fear mudslides death toll could pass 1,000

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061203/ts_afp/weatherphilippines_061203132833