Toll rises to about 1,800 in Philippine mudslide-UPDATE

[uppityperson]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002811836_webslide17.html

UINSAUGON, Philippines – Rescue workers held little hope Saturday of finding more survivors from a devastating landslide that killed an estimated 1,800 people, saying this farming village in the eastern Philippines was swallowed whole by a wall of mud and boulders.

Survivors and others blamed persistent rains and illegal logging for Friday's disaster.The logging "stopped around 10 years ago," Roger Mercado, a member of Congress who represents the area, told Manila radio station DZBB. "But this is the effect of the logging in the past."

Soldiers were being shuttled to the disaster zone in the shovels of bulldozers that carried them across a shallow stream. With the mud estimated to be 30 feet deep at some points, they were given sketches of the village so they could figure out approximately where the houses used to be.

Lt. Col. Raul Farnacio, the highest-ranking military officer at the scene, estimated the death toll at about 1,800 — nearly every man, woman and child who lived in Guinsaugon, about 400 miles east of the capital, Manila...

more at link. This is really sad.

[GrumpyGreg]

1. God help them all. A terrible tragedy.

[uppityperson]

2. BBC has a picture of the village, just a big wide field of mud.

This qualifies as a tragedy. Are there actually more of these mass deaths happening recently, or is just with everything else (bush administration) that I notice all the bad stuff more?

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. Why it's happening more

A growing population living in geologically hazardous areas.

When I was not that much younger, it seemed this sort of thing was reported on page B2, text only or maybe a fuzzy black and white wire-photo.

[dweller]

5. one might say

there's a lesson to be learned here.

and much Karma to reconcile.
dp

[uppityperson]

10. What might that lesson be? Be careful where you live?

Don't have your house downhill of illegal logged hillsides? Karma? I don't buy into that one.

[Skittles]

7. don't bring God into it

should he exist, he could have presumably stopped it

[DearAbby]

3. How Horrible...

This is just mind numbing.


I wonder what Pat Robertson would say their sin was?

[Skittles]

6. *sniff*

I saw them on TV today, pulling children out of the mud....ran to make another donation to Doctors Without Borders

[Up2Late]

8. In buried school, desperate messages -- then silence (AFP)

(This is just too sad. Good night.)

In buried school, desperate messages -- then silence
18/02/2006 10h27

<http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/060218102431.og3waizt.html>

GUINSAUGON, Philippines (AFP) - A series of desperate text messages spurred rescuers on after a massive landslide buried more than 1,400 people, including almost 250 students and teachers trapped in their school.

"We're still in one room, alive," read one message sent to Pamela Tiempo, whose mother is among the teachers stuck under the mire in the obliterated village of Guinsaugon. "We are alive. Dig us out," read another.

But the subterranean pleas for help stopped shortly after 7:00 pm (1100 GMT) Friday, and since then there has only been silence. "We're still very hopeful," provincial governor Rosette Lerias told AFP. But the search by soldiers and volunteers using only spades and other hand tools seemed increasingly forlorn.

Relatives of the roughly 40 buried teachers stood nearby, nearly in tears and complaining of the slow pace of the rescue work.

(more at link)

<http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/060218102431.og3waizt.html>

[genie_weenie]

9. This is horrible

I wonder how long before Robertson claims this is divine punishment for the Philippinos for leaving the true faith, unless of course the victims were Muslims, then some radical Imam will blame the victims.

But, the real problem is the rest of the world will look at this as a "Minor" tragedy and we have to spend 500 BILLION on the Department of War, err, I mean, umm, Defense.

[rainbow4321]

11. Teachers text messaged from inside buried school

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/feb/19/yehey/top_stories/20060219top1.html

A series of desperate text messages spurred rescuers on after a massive landslide buried more than 1,400 people, including almost 250 students and teachers trapped in their school.

“We’re still in one room, alive,” read one message sent to Pamela Tiempo, whose mother is among the teachers stuck under the mire in the obliterated barangay of Guinsaugon in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte.

“We are alive. Dig us out,” read another.

She said rescuers went to the presumed site of the school early Saturday, but made no headway due to the thick mud. Another group of rescuers, this time composed of experienced climbers with specialist equipment, launched another effort on Saturday afternoon.