US aid urged for mudslide victims

President Arroyo has issued a crisis plea for assistance

Philippines President Gloria Arroyo has asked the US to help in rescue efforts following massive landslides on Friday.

About 120 people are still missing, but local rescue helicopters are grounded by heavy rain and troops have to walk because roads are strewn with debris.

About 200 people are feared dead in the mudslides thought to have been caused, in part, by illegal logging.

US Chinook helicopters that can operate in torrential rain could fly from US bases in Okinawa, Japan.

President Arroyo told disaster response officials to speed up rescue operations at an emergency meeting in the capital, Manila.

She added that she had asked the US to provide assistance in the form of helicopters, personnel and relief goods.

Defence Secretary Eduardo Ermita said affted towns were now isolated and roads are covered by mud.

"It is difficult to reach these areas," he said. "Soldiers are trying to reach some areas by foot."

Crisis

Television showed pictures of desperate efforts by relatives to uncover those missing, while rescuers described digging up bodies of entire families buried together under the mud.

Lanslides in pictures

"This is the worst experience we have had in years", said Rosette Lerias, the governor of southern Leyte province, the worst affected region.

She said cutting down trees from the slopes above settlements had loosened the soil.

The municipalities of San Francisco, Liloan and Maasin in southern Leyte have been particularly badly hit, while other casualties were reported in the Agusan and Surigao areas of neighbouring Mindanao island.

An official there quoted survivors as saying they heard a great noise from the mountains, and that shortly afterwards a current of mud swept down on top of them.

"We really have no idea of the magnitude of the disaster," Governor Lerias said.

On Mindanao island to the south, at least 16 people were killed.