More than 100 dead in Philippine mudslides and flooding

A tropical storm in the southernPhilippines triggered mudslides and flash floods that killedmore than 100 people, while dozens are missing, police anddisaster officials said on Saturday.

The casualties, most of them caused late on Friday, were allon the main southern island of Mindanao, they said, adding threeprovinces were hardest hit.

Disaster officials said many residents had ignored warningsto leave coastal areas and riverbanks.

"Many people were swept to the sea as flood waters quicklyrose due to the high tide," Manuel Luis Ochotorena, a disasteragency official, said. "They never heeded the warnings. Theythought it was a weak storm but it dumped more rains."

Hundreds of kilometres to the east, army and emergencyworkers were checking reports an entire village was buried by mudslide in Tubod town in Lanao del Norte.

Ryan Cabus, a local official, said power and communicationlines to the area had been cut, complicating rescue efforts.

The weather bureau said the storm had gathered strength overthe Sulu Sea and was packing winds of up 80 km/hand moving west at 20 km/h.

It was heading out over the sea by midday on Saturday andwould have moved clear of the Philippines by Monday, the bureausaid.

Search for survivors

Emergency workers, soldiers, police and volunteers werebeing mobilized to search for survivors, clear debris, and restore power and communications.

Deaths were reported in various places, including 60 in Tubod, El Salvador and Munai towns in Lanao del Norte province.

In Zamboanga del Norte province, police said 42 people hadbeen killed in the towns of Sibuco and Salug.

Three people were killed in Bukidnon province, whilepoliticians in Lanao del Sur province said 18 people had drowned in flash floods there.

Sixty-four people were reported missing in floods andlandslides, according to a tally of reports form officials and police.

Humanitarian agencies are waiting to get access to the most affected areas, said G. Jeff Lamigoof World Vision. CBC News reached him in Manila.

He said the typhoon is expected to pass by Christmas Day, after which agencies will co-ordinate with government to determine which areas need help most.

"The basic utilities like water are still inaccessible for most of the people," he said, adding that a power outage makes communication a challenge.

Global Affairs said Saturdaythere hadbeenno reports ofCanadian citizensaffected by the storm.

The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons every year,bringing death and destruction, usually to the poorest communities.