More coffins needed in Philippines

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(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-13 10:05

BAGUIO, Philippines: Authorities sent more than 200 coffins on Monday to the typhoon-battered northern Philippines for the grim task of burying the storm's victims, including a family of eight whose house was buried under a torrent of mud.

A typhoon victim holds on to her belongings as she wades through floodwater in Calumpit, Bulacan, north of Manila, yesterday. The death toll from two typhoons in 14 days rose to more than 600. [Agencies]

The nationwide death toll from landslides and flooding stood at more than 600 after back-to-back storms started pounding the northern Philippines on September 26. Hundreds of thousands were still displaced, and the damage from the worst flooding in 40 years ran into hundreds of millions of dollars.

The death toll was so high that some areas ran out of coffins. More than 200 wooden caskets assembled in neighboring provinces were expected in Baguio, where more funerals were planned, said regional disaster-relief director Olive Luces.

Baguio city, in the heart of the Cordillera mountain range where at least 277 people died, organized a burial for a family of eight, including six children.

"I am saddened by what happened," said Mildred Ligos, a cousin of Leonora Pinol Picar, who died with her husband and their children aged 1 to 11. She said she hadn't seen her cousin in years because they lived in different areas. "And then we met again only now."

Flooding and mudslides had blocked three key roads to the area, isolating the upland region for three days. Many international tourists were among those stranded.

Gasoline was still in short supply and panic buying of canned goods emptied several stores in Baguio city.

But the situation was improving after four twin-rotor US Marine helicopters flew in eight tons of supplies on Sunday. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also came by helicopter and ordered officials to speed efforts to reopen the roads.

One was reopened Sunday, but only partly, allowing light vehicles to pass. Priority items included canned goods, sugar, candles, laundry soap and kitchen items, said Myrna Pablo, a city official.

Lines at gasoline stations were getting shorter and tankers were expected to reach Baguio later yesterday, she said.

About 700 US Marines and sailors on land and at sea were helping out with the relief effort. Before Tropical Depression Parma struck on October 3, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Okinawa, Japan, had been helping in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ketsana, which caused massive floods in and around Manila on September 26. That storm killed at least 337 people.

After making landfall, Parma roared back and forth across the north for a week and dumped 685 millimeters of rain on October 8 - more in one day than the monthly average.

AP - Reuters