Indonesia flood fears grow

The Philippines has also been badly affected by floods

Emergency rescue teams are battling to reach tens of thousands of people stranded by heavy flooding in the Indonesian province of West Timor.

The UN refugee agency says the situation is rapidly worsening. At least 80 people have been confirmed dead, but the number of casualties is expected to rise.

Chief of operations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Bernard Kerblat, said thousands had been stranded without fresh water and food.

There is now concern about possible outbreaks of diseases such as cholera.

So far, 1,435 people have been evacuated from the southern Belu region, and it's still raining

UNHCR spokesman

Correspondents say survivors have been seen eating the bloated carcasses of dead animals.

A UN spokesman told the BBC about 35,000 people were now on the move in West Timor trying to escape the floods, which officials say are the worst for 60 years.

Rescue efforts

Rescue efforts are being hampered by floodwaters as high as two metres in places.

Some areas have been cut off after roads and bridges were swept away.

"Communications between the river banks are all out. We have to use helicopters to reach the other side," one government rescuer said.

"That's why the death count is not completely accurate, we just do not know what's happening on the other side."

A woman clears rubbish from her shop in Manila

Three UN helicopters are now helping move people out of the area.

"So far, 1,435 people have been evacuated from the southern Belu region, and it's still raining," said Jake Morland, a spokesman for the UNHCR in Kupang, the capital of West Timor.

Ten trucks loaded with food and plastic sheeting were also trying to reach affected areas.

Many of the dead were East Timorese refugees who were among the thousands to flee the province during violence after last year's independence vote.

Philippines storms

In the Philippines' main island of Luzon, more than 100,000 had to flee their homes because of severe flooding.

Waters rose to neck-high level in parts, including the capital, Manila, where 10,000 abandoned their homes.

At least eight people have been killed since Thursday.

The weather bureau said the tropical depression "Biring" was behind the storms that had brought the heavy rain.