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Philippine floods test rescuers Philippine floods test rescuers
(10 minutes later)
Rescue workers are being overwhelmed by the scale of floods in the Philippines that are estimated to have killed at least 100 people, officials say. Rescue workers are being overwhelmed by the scale of floods in the Philippines that are estimated to have killed at least 140 people, officials say.
The head of the National Disaster Co-ordinating Council, Anthony Golez, said resources were being spread too thinly.The head of the National Disaster Co-ordinating Council, Anthony Golez, said resources were being spread too thinly.
Torrential rains from Tropical Storm Ketsana flooded the capital, Manila, and 25 nearby provinces on Saturday.Torrential rains from Tropical Storm Ketsana flooded the capital, Manila, and 25 nearby provinces on Saturday.
Some 80% of Manila was submerged, displacing 450,000 people. More than 115,000 are now in makeshift shelters.Some 80% of Manila was submerged, displacing 450,000 people. More than 115,000 are now in makeshift shelters.
"We are concentrating on massive relief operations. The system is overwhelmed, local government units are overwhelmed," Mr Golez told reporters."We are concentrating on massive relief operations. The system is overwhelmed, local government units are overwhelmed," Mr Golez told reporters.
AT THE SCENE BBC correspondent Alastair Leithead in Manila
The rain is still coming down in Marikina, the worst affected part of Manila, but it certainly has got through the worst of what the storm threw at it.
All the streets were under metres of water. There's a thick coating of mud over everything. At the bottom of the road, there's a pink car which is balanced on the diagonal on its roof on top of another. The only people who escaped the floods were those who went up onto the upper floors of their buildings. All the shops and businesses on the ground floors have been destroyed.
Now people are just focusing on clearing up, trying to get what possessions they can together, along with food, water and some shelter, because more rain is forecast.
"We were used to helping one city, one or two provinces but now, they are following one after another. Our assets and people are spread too thinly.""We were used to helping one city, one or two provinces but now, they are following one after another. Our assets and people are spread too thinly."
Soldiers, police, medics and a huge number of volunteers were involved in the effort to help flood victims, authorities said. One doctor in Manila told the BBC that he had been working 24-hour shifts in a hospital flooded with water since Saturday.
Telephone and power services in some parts of Manila remain cut, while local government officials said survivors in makeshift evacuation camps were desperately short of food, water and clothes. Defence Minister Gilbert Teodoro said troops, police and volunteers had so far been able to rescue more than 7,900 people. Thirty-two people are missing.
'Calamity' The authorities were now focusing on providing food, medicine and other necessities to those in emergency shelters, he added. Telephone and power services in some parts of Manila remain cut.
Over the weekend, the government declared a "state of calamity" in Manila and 25 provinces, allowing access to emergency funds. Over the weekend, the government declared a "state of calamity" in Manila and the 25 storm-hit provinces, including many that have not experienced widespread flooding before, allowing access to emergency funds.
The Philippine government has not yet requested international help, but Mr Golez said it would welcome any assistance. The US military has deployed a helicopter and soldiers to the country's south to help.
'Stranded'
On Sunday, President Gloria Arroyo visited the devastated areas, appealing for calm over what she described as an "extreme event" that "strained our response capabilities to the limit but ultimately did not break us".
In pictures: Philippine flood clear up Eyewitness: Philippines floodsIn pictures: Philippine flood clear up Eyewitness: Philippines floods
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo visited the devastated areas, appealing for calm over what she described as an "extreme event" and pleading for donations to aid rescue efforts. Ramil Digal Culle in Cavite City, south of Manila, told the BBC that he had spent the night with families trapped on rooftops without food and water.
Residents have been e-mailing the BBC with their experiences. "The mothers were at work when the flooding happened and they got stranded with me, unable to go home," he wrote in an e-mail.
Ramil Digal Culle in Cavite City, south of Manila, says he spent the night with families trapped on rooftops without food and water. "Strange how I could have internet access during the disaster to describe this experience... while the government struggles with a scarcity of rescue equipment," he added.
"The mothers were at work when the flooding happened and they got stranded with me, unable to go home," he writes. Some officials are quoted as saying rubbish-choked drains and waterways, along with high tides, compounded the flooding.
"Strange how I could have internet access during the disaster to describe this experience... while the government struggles with a scarcity of rescue equipment." The BBC's Alastair Leithead in Marikina City, the worst affected part of the capital, says all the streets in the area were under metres of water and that now there is a thick coating of mud over everything which was submerged.
Our correspondent says the government argues it could not have been expected to cope easily with a storm in which a month's rain fell in 12 hours.
In the meantime, he adds, people are just focusing on clearing up, trying to salvage what possessions they can, along with food, water and some shelter, because further rainstorms are forecast.
'Heroic rescuer''Heroic rescuer'
Maria Luz Magallanes cries at the coffin of her son who rescued many people. Reports have also emerged of acts of heroism by members of the public during the floods, including Muelmar Magallanes, who rescued more than 30 people, but ended up sacrificing his own life.
Muelmar Magallanes braved rampaging floods to rescue more than 30 people, but ended up sacrificing his own life, the AFP news agency reported. With the help of his older brother, the 18-year-old construction worker tied rope around his waist and took his siblings to safety before going back to the house for his parents, according to the AFP news agency.
The 18-year-old construction worker was hailed as a hero by family members and others he saved. Later, he decided go back to save neighbours trapped on rooftops. He then dived back in again when he saw a mother and her six-month-old baby daughter in the water.
With the help of his older brother, Mr Magallenes tied a string around his waist and took his siblings to safety before going back to the house for his parents.
Then he decided go back to save neighbours trapped on rooftops.
Then he dived back in again when he saw a mother and her six-month-old baby daughter in the water.
"I didn't know that the current was so strong. In an instant, I was under water. We were going to die," the mother Menchie Penalosa told AFP."I didn't know that the current was so strong. In an instant, I was under water. We were going to die," the mother Menchie Penalosa told AFP.
"Then this man came from nowhere and grabbed us. He took us to where the other neighbours were, and then he was gone," she added."Then this man came from nowhere and grabbed us. He took us to where the other neighbours were, and then he was gone," she added.
Witnesses said an exhausted Mr Megallanes was simply swept away by the water.Witnesses said an exhausted Mr Megallanes was simply swept away by the water.
"I am going to be forever grateful to Muelmar. He gave his life for my baby. I will never forget his sacrifice, " said Ms Penalosa.
His father Samuel said: "He always had a good heart. We had already been saved. But he decided to go back one last time for the girl."His father Samuel said: "He always had a good heart. We had already been saved. But he decided to go back one last time for the girl."
Some officials are quoted as saying rubbish-choked drains and waterways, along with high tides, compounded the flooding. The Philippines chief weather forecaster, Nathaniel Cruz, said more than 40cm (16in) of rain fell on Manila within 12 hours on Saturday, exceeding the 39cm average for the whole month of September.
Advertisement The previous record of just over 33cm in a 24-hour period was set in June 1967, Mr Cruz added. He had earlier blamed climate change for the mass downpours.
People cling to debris as they are swept along a river in Marikina Ketsana, with winds of up to 100km/h (62mph), hit the Philippines early on Saturday, crossing the main northern Luzon island before heading out toward the South China Sea.
Governor Joselito Mendoza of Bulacan province, north of the capital, said: "It was tragic that people drowned in their own houses as the storms raged."
The Philippines chief weather forecaster, Nathaniel Cruz, said more than 40cm (16in) of rain fell on Manila within 12 hours on Saturday, exceeding the 39cm (15in) average for the whole month of September.
The previous record of just over 33cm (13in) in a 24 hour period was set in June 1967, Mr Cruz added. He had earlier blamed climate change for the mass downpours.
Ketsana, with winds of up to 100km/h, hit the Philippines early on Saturday, crossing the main northern Luzon island before heading out toward the South China Sea.
Are you in the Philippines? Have you been affected by the floods? Send us your comments.Are you in the Philippines? Have you been affected by the floods? Send us your comments.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.
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