Typhoon kills an estimated 1 000 people

PHILIPPINES – Officials and rescuers all but gave up hope yesterday for finding survivors in mudslide-swamped villages on the slopes of the Mayon volcano, five days after a typhoon killed an estimated 1 000 people.

Official figures showed 450 dead, 507 injured and 599 missing, but Senator Richard Gordon, head of the local Red Cross, said he believed more than 1 000 died in the thousands of homes that were buried under one and a half metres of volcanic debris, mud and flood waters. “At this time, no more.I’m sorry,” Juan Garcia, mayor of devastated Guinobatan town, said when asked about prospects of survivors being found.”It’s almost impossible.They have been buried under sand and boulders.I don’t think they can survive.It’s impossible for anyone to survive.”He said 186 bodies have been recovered and more than 300 were still missing in his village alone.Retrieval of bodies will continue.As the extent of the disaster became clear, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Sunday declared a state of national calamity, allowing the government to more rapidly release funds needed to bolster aid efforts.”We are no strangers to this kind of tragedy, and we have always been able to recover and become stronger,” she said in a statement Monday.Arroyo said she instructed the Department of Environment to step up a project to map all hazardous areas, like Mayon, to help forewarn communities of possible dangers.”We must not leave things to fatal luck when we can develop the tools to prevent harm,” she said.Fernando Gonzalez, governor of worst-hit Albay province, said the ground was too slippery for backhoes.”There’s no choice but to dig by hand,” he told Radio DZBB.”Practically speaking, we are not very optimistic we’ll find survivors.”Witnesses said the five-hour downpour on Thursday, brought by Typhoon Durian packing winds gusting up to 265 kph , dislodged tons of volcanic debris from Mayon’s slopes.Walls of mud and boulders destroyed nearly every standing structure in their path.Nampa-AP”At this time, no more.I’m sorry,” Juan Garcia, mayor of devastated Guinobatan town, said when asked about prospects of survivors being found.”It’s almost impossible.They have been buried under sand and boulders.I don’t think they can survive.It’s impossible for anyone to survive.”He said 186 bodies have been recovered and more than 300 were still missing in his village alone.Retrieval of bodies will continue.As the extent of the disaster became clear, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Sunday declared a state of national calamity, allowing the government to more rapidly release funds needed to bolster aid efforts.”We are no strangers to this kind of tragedy, and we have always been able to recover and become stronger,” she said in a statement Monday.Arroyo said she instructed the Department of Environment to step up a project to map all hazardous areas, like Mayon, to help forewarn communities of possible dangers.”We must not leave things to fatal luck when we can develop the tools to prevent harm,” she said.Fernando Gonzalez, governor of worst-hit Albay province, said the ground was too slippery for backhoes.”There’s no choice but to dig by hand,” he told Radio DZBB.”Practically speaking, we are not very optimistic we’ll find survivors.”Witnesses said the five-hour downpour on Thursday, brought by Typhoon Durian packing winds gusting up to 265 kph , dislodged tons of volcanic debris from Mayon’s slopes.Walls of mud and boulders destroyed nearly every standing structure in their path.Nampa-AP