DISEASE STALKS SURVIVORS; RESCUERS RACE AGAINST TIME TO RETRIEVE FLOATING BODIES

MANILA, Philippines — Survivors of devastating flash floods in the Mindanao face growing threats from disease as authorities are looking into the possibility that the collapse of three mini-dams in Cagayan de Oro aggravated the flooding, officials said on Wednesday as the toll of dead and missing tops a thousand.

This developed as National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Benito Ramos said that rescuers are now racing against time to retrieve bodies now floating in the sea.

He said that if these floating bodies would not be retrieved immediately, they will likely sink again and be eaten by fish and other marine creatures.

Ramos said concentration of the search and retrieval operations is now at Macajalar Bay, where about 90 percent of the recovered bodies in the Cagayan de Oro City were found floating.

As of noon Wednesday, the death toll from “Sendong” was placed at 1,026, while the estimated cost of damage to property is now close to P1 billion.

Ramos said the latest number of fatalities in Cagayan de Oro City rose to 650, while Brig. Gen. Roland Amarille, commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division (1ID), said 299 bodies have been recovered in Iligan City as of Wednesday.

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