Flash floods in the Philippines: 650 deaths, 800 missing

The number of people killed in flash floods caused by the tropical storm Washi, which landed in the southern Philippines early on Saturday morning, rose to 650 people.

A girl finds things that can still be used in trash
in the city of Cagayan De Oro after the flash flood.

Soldiers and volunteers are still searching for about 800 people reported missing on Mindanao island in southern Philippines.

Many people were trapped at home when flash floods occurred with high tide. In some areas, the entire village was reportedly washed away.

Officials have been criticized for not providing full warnings about the severity of the storm. However, the national disaster agency confirmed that warnings were issued to officials and residents three days before the storm hit.

Washi caused serious damage to people and people, in part because of poor preparation.

Residents Cagayan De Oro carry the body of a victim of the flash flood.

The Philippines often suffers from about 20 major storms each year but these storms often affect the north but rarely attack the south, so many people on Mindanao island are not well prepared to catch the storm.

2 cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan ports are among the most severely affected areas due to flash floods.

Hundreds of bodies were found in these two cities - many bodies were piled up in temporary morgues. Other corpses were beaten along the coast of Mindanao or found floating in the sea.

The scale of the disaster forced local officials to make a call to sponsor body bags and coffins.

The villages were flooded from above.

'It's too imaginative. We do not think there are many deaths so far , "said Ramos, head of the National Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency.

The Philippine Red Cross is cooperating with the government and other aid agencies to search for missing people.

'Our office receives hundreds of requests for help finding missing parents, children and relatives , ' said Gwendolyn Pang, secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross.

Most of the dead are women and children, Ms. Pang said. Many bodies are still unclaimed, giving rise to the possibility that many families have been swept away.

Meanwhile people who lost their homes are in great need of food and water.

About 35,000 people are still living in evacuation centers as of yesterday. Others are living in their damaged houses but do not have electricity and clean water.

Cars were swept down the trench in Cagayan de Oro.

Some survivors recount miraculous survival stories after their entire village was attacked by floodwaters.

A woman said she and 8 family members and neighbors survived by sitting on the roof when her home was washed away into the river and finally to the sea, where they were rescued by a cargo ship.

'There is a deafening sound after the water comes. We found ourselves floating in the river and the waters swept us to the sea , 'said Carmelita Pulosan, 42, from Cagayan de Oro city.

'The water is very strong. God has blessed us. He saved my family's life. '