Philippines storm toll hits 246

MANILA – Philippine authorities braced yesterday for another storm as the toll from rain and floods from a weekend typhoon, now bearing down on Vietnam, rose to 246 dead while damages climbed to nearly $100 million.

Weather forecasters said a new storm forming in the Pacific Ocean was likely to enter Philippine waters on Thursday and make landfall later in the week on the northern island of Luzon, just like Saturday’s Typhoon Ketsana.Ketsana dumped more than a month’s worth of average rainfall on Manila and surrounding areas in one 24-hour period. About 80 per cent of the city of 15 million was flooded.The Philippine government has come in for scathing criticism for its response to the disaster, with many calling it inadequate and delayed.Authorities estimated damage from the storm so far at around 4,69 billion pesos ($98.5 million). More than 1,9 million people were affected and 375 000 had abandoned their homes and taken refuge in evacuation centres.More than 3 000 houses were either damaged or destroyed.DEATH TOLLThe death toll could rise further once reports come in from remote areas. The storm hit metropolitan Manila and 12 provinces. Dozens remained missing and feared dead, disaster officials said.Ketsana was due to make landfall in central Vietnam later yesterday, where authorities have ordered the evacuation of at least 170 000 people.Hundreds of soldiers were helping evacuate people and with storm preparations. Ships have been told to take shelter in Danang. Vietnam Airlines has cancelled all fights to the port city since Monday and schools in several coastal provinces were closed.In the Philippines, authorities released water from two dams north of Manila, but stressed it was being done carefully to prevent any recurrence of floods.Communist rebels announced a unilateral ceasefire with government forces and ordered cadres to help in flood relief operations.Private citizens and volunteer groups were collecting relief goods – mostly clothes, drinking water and medicines – and distributing them to victims. Many people have thrown open their homes to those who were forced to abandon theirs.Several foreign governments and UN agencies have already pledged nearly $2 million in rice and relief supplies, Teodoro told reporters, adding he met lawmakers from both houses of Congress to seek emergency funds for rehabilitation work.US soldiers deployed in the south of the country have been brought to Manila to help in relief, while the United Nations has announced it will give food aid and cash for medical supplies. – Nampa-Reuters