Philippines typhoon claims 200 lives
The death toll from a powerful typhoon that sparked flash floods and landslides in the southern Philippines rose to more than 200 today.
Government spokeswoman Fe Maestre said at least 151 people died in the worst-hit province of Compostela Valley.
That included 66 villagers and soldiers who perished in a flash flood that swamped two emergency storm shelters and a military camp as Typhoon Bopha lashed New Bataan town the day before.
Ms Maestre said an unspecified number of villagers remained missing in New Bataan.
Major General Ariel Bernardo said 51 people died and 98 others were missing in nearby Davao Oriental province, mostly due to flooding and toppled trees.
Disaster-response agencies reported seven other typhoon-related deaths elsewhere.
Bopha, one of the strongest typhoons to hit the country this year, struck Davao Oriental at dawn yesterday then roared across southern and central provinces, triggering landslides, flooding and cutting off power in two entire provinces.
It was heading towards western Palawan province today and was expected to blow out towards the South China Sea tomorrow.
