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More ferry survivors found in Philippines
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-06-23 10:42 The few who made it out alive spoke of pandemonium when the ship suddenly lurched onto its side. "What I just did was to float in the water," a survivor identified only as Jesse told local radio, adding that he had a life vest. "There were others who rode in the lifecraft. But it was no use, the waves were big so they capsized also." President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in the United States for a state visit, held a video conference with disaster officials early on Monday and said coast guard protocols should be reviewed to prevent another ship sailing into a typhoon's path. In Iloilo province, 101 people were reported dead after flood waters over two meters high engulfed communities, forcing tens of thousands to scramble onto the roofs of their homes. In neighboring Capiz, more than 2,000 houses were destroyed in the provincial capital and officials were struggling to make contact with communities further afield. More than 30,000 people were being housed in evacuation centers in the centre and south of the archipelago. An archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines is hit by an average of 20 typhoons a year. |
