Philippines: Over 700 Feared Dead In Mindanao Flash Floods Due To TS 'Sendong'

MANILA (NNN-PNA) -- The death toll in the killer flash floods that inundated several areas in Mindanao could reach over 700 as officials said more than 400 people are still missing after tropical storm “Sendong” battered southern Philippines Saturday.

Maj. Jim Osias, spokesman of the 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, said figures released Sunday by the City Disaster Reduction Management Center (CDRMC) in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, confirmed 346 dead and over 400 missing.

The CDRNC also said more than 2,000 families have been affected by the floods that caught most victims in their sleep.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin was expected to arrive in Cagayan de Oro Sunday to supervise the relief operations.

The rampaging flood waters toppled trees, inundated houses up to rooftops and overturned vehicles.

Benito Ramos, head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC), said that relief and search operations have been in full blast but they are in need of coffins and body bags as they did not expect the number of fatalities to reach such a high figure.

Aside from Cagayan de Oro City, another area badly hit by the floods was neighboring Iligan City in Lanao del Norte.

A priest, Fr. Dan Nunez, who hails from Butuan City but is now assigned in the San Roque Parish in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, said it was the first time in 49 years that such floods struck Mindanao in such fury.

During his homily Saturday night, Fr. Dan lamented that it was the destruction of the environment, particularly the unabated and indiscriminate cutting of trees over the years, that is now taking its heavy toll in the form of floods which could have been prevented had the trees not been cut by unscrupulous loggers.

Television footages showed rampaging flood waters sweeping away debris of all kinds to the streets and many areas.

Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities are not on the usual path of typhoons that when storm signals were raised, the people apparently did not mind at all until flood waters had awaken them, which was too late, Ramos was quoted as saying. -- NNN-PNA

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FLOOD DEATH TOLL IN PHILIPPINES HITS 497: RED CROSS

MANILA, Dec. 18 (NNN-Xinhua) -- The death toll from tropical storm Washi (or local name Sendong) in the Philippines rose to 497, with 162 others still missing, the Philippine Red Cross said Sunday.

Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon and his team will leave for Mindanao Island in southern Philippines on Monday to personally assess the aftermath of the flashflood.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in its report issued at Sunday noon that the death toll from typhoon Washi has climbed to 332, with 281 missing and 7 injured.

The tropical storm has made another landfall near Puerto Princesa city in Palawan and is now heading toward the South China Sea. – NNN-XINHUA