Philippines

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Mud wipes out Philippines village

 

An entire village has been buried by a major landslide in the central

Philippines following heavy rains.

Only four people have been confirmed dead, but Red Cross officials

estimated that 200 might be dead, and said a further 1,500 were

missing.

 

The landslide hit Guinsaugon village in the town of St Bernard on the

southern part of the island of Leyte.

 

Survivor Dario Libatan said: " It sounded like the mountain exploded,

and the whole thing crumbled. "

 

" I could not see any house standing anymore, " he said.

 

Typhoon path

 

The landslide followed heavy rains that had fallen for about 10 days

over this part of the Philippines.

 

The BBC's Sarah Toms in Manila says Leyte lies in the path of many

typhoons each year, and is lashed time and time again by severe

storms.

 

She says illegal logging has been blamed for leaving some areas

denuded of forest and vulnerable to floods and landslides.

 

Civil defence officials said only four bodies had been recovered from

the scene so far, but the death toll was likely to rise as the scene

of the disaster had been difficult to reach.

 

Initial reports said there may have been 500 houses in the village,

and that a school was among the buildings buried.

 

Military helicopters were sent to the scene to survey the damage and

help with rescue efforts.

 

Idyll deceptive

 

Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, speaking in

Geneva, said the Philippine air force was flying in a dog search team

from Manila.

 

He said he also hoped that US forces, who were conducting exercises

in the region, might be able to offer assistance.

 

" It's very difficult [to get there] right now because the town is

covered in mud, " he told BBC World television.

 

He said the idyllic appearance of the Leyte coast was deceptive.

 

" The forest is very lush, but something happens and the system

collapses, " he said.

 

It would be some time before the final death toll was known, he said.

 

" This could rise to tragic proportions. We're still hoping this is

not the case.

 

" We have done this before. It's impossible to predict what nature

will do. "