Death Toll rising in Philippine flooding and landslides during flash flooding

Philippine Flooding, Landslides Kill 652

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By Clarissa Batino and Joel Guinto - Dec 18, 2011 8:40 AM PT

Tropical Storm Washi, the most- devastating cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, killed at least 652 people, according to the Red Cross. With hundreds still unaccounted for, the death toll is likely to rise.
Washi pummeled northern Mindanao, which is unaccustomed to cyclones, overflowing rivers and flooding coastal cities at the early hours of Dec. 17 while people were asleep. The storm dumped 181 millimeters of rain per hour compared to the 25 millimeters per hour typical in the region, said Benito Ramos, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense. Local governments didn’t carry out preemptive evacuations even after warnings of flooding and landslides, he said.
The Philippines is regularly battered by cyclones that form over the Pacific Ocean, usually sparing southern provinces. In September 2009, Typhoon Ketsana flooded Manila and parts of Luzon, killing more than 400 people. Shortly after, Typhoon Parma followed a similar path, leading to a combined death toll of at least 929 people, damaging more than 38 billion pesos ($867 million) of homes, infrastructure and farm output.
“It seems we have not learned our lessons from these calamities,” said Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross in a phone interview yesterday. The death toll may have been capped by preemptive evacuation and if local bodies had been informed about the amount of rainfall to be expected.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council counted the dead at 334 with 281 missing in its 8 p.m. report. More than 46,000 are in evacuation areas, it said. Washi exited the nation as of 10 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration said.

‘Shallow Grave’

“The death toll is rising very fast,” Red Cross Secretary General Gwen Pang said on Dec. 17. “It’s a combination of heavy rainfall, strong currents, swollen rivers and high tides.” More than 808 people are missing, Pang said yesterday. The disaster management council said 4,404 homes were damaged.end quote from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-17/philippine-storm-kills-177-250-missing-after-flash-floods.html

Since 180 were rescued out to sea that were washed there by the flooding it is likely that many or most of the victims might not ever be found. So, it is important for the world to try to help the survivors in any way that they can.