Filipinos are miserable after the storm

Washi survivors in the Philippines are facing the risk of cholera and typhoid, while the number of people killed by the storm has exceeded 1,000.

Tropical storm Washi swept across the island of Mindanao, southern Philippines last weekend, carrying heavy rain, flash floods, overflowing rivers and destroying many coastal villages. Philippine Civil Minister Benito Ramos said 1,010 people were killed and warned that the number would increase as more victims were swept out of the sea for hundreds of kilometers. Mr Ramos predicts the total number of deaths is about 1,100 but thinks that many bodies are swept away too far and not found.

'In my experience, after three days the body will emerge, but after 3-5 days the body will sink again , ' he said.

18 unclaimed bodies were buried in Iligan City, one of the two cities that suffered the most damage, after 38 other bodies were buried yesterday. Officials said hundreds of corpses were rotting and stinking had been treated. The priority now is to ensure life and living in shelters.

Iligan city residents crowded out to win relief from the army. (Photo: AFP)

According to AFP , about 44,000 Filipinos living in shelters with poor sanitation make officials worried that it will be a source of disease. The Philippine Ministry of Health warns that crowding in evacuation camps will lead to outbreaks of twins, diarrhea, cholera, hepatitis A, typhoid fever and dysentery, in which children and women Pregnancy are the two most vulnerable subjects.

'No cases of epidemics have been reported but we are still closely monitoring cases of diarrhea and respiratory disease that we expect will break out next week , ' said Deputy Minister of Health Ted Herbosa. .

The two most heavily affected areas are Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities, where slums built on sandbanks near large estuaries have been washed away by midnight on December 16. The confusion continues in evacuation camps, schools and fitness centers.

'The problem is that we only have one or two toilets for each school while up to 3,000 - 4,000 people need to use the toilet , ' said Levy Villarin, Iligan health official. Cagayan de Oro city faces a shortage of food and water for more than 26,000 evacuees.

'I was so embarrassed because I had to ask for food,' said a 52-year-old woman, who lined up near the morning to get porridge for herself and her two grandchildren. The woman promised herself to return to the slum town on the river as soon as she could and reopen the small roadside shop.

Wearing supportive t-shirts and pants but not fit, she said that she had not bathed for three days and was forced to leave the school's toilet earlier this morning because she could not stand the stench. The gym is also paralyzed by people crowding on mats, cardboard in every space.

About 276,000 people are receiving emergency assistance, many of whom have left evacuation centers and come to live with relatives. They cannot return home because the government prohibits them from returning to flood prone areas.

'They have no homes, nothing to return. The clothes on people are all they have, ' said Mr Ramos.