Philippine flood death toll to 240

Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 12:49 pm

Philippine flood death toll to 240, MANILA: The Philippines government says 240 people are now known to have died in severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana.

The country has appealed for foreign aid to deal with the disaster, which has displaced more than 450,000 people.

Some 374,890 people are living in makeshift shelters, three times more than previously reported.

Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the situation could become worse if aid supplies run out.

The sharp rise in the death toll – up 100 from the previous figure – came after more than 90 deaths were recorded in Manila, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said in a statement.

Earlier, Mr Teodoro appealed for humanitarian assistance from the international community.

“We are trying our level best to provide basic necessities, but the potential for a more serious situation is there,” he said, in a nationally televised address.

“We cannot wait for that to happen.” Mr Teodoro said troops, police and volunteers had so far been able to rescue more than 7,900 people.

Rescue workers are continuing to pull bodies from the mud and swollen rivers.