The Pope travelled to the far eastern Philippines to comfort survivors of the devastating Typhoon Haiyan, then cut his own trip short because of another approaching storm.

The death toll from one of the strongest typhoons on record has risen above 5,000 in the Philippines and is likely to climb further.

Counting the dead in the Philippines is a grisly and haunting experience for those courageous enough to carry out the work.

Children pick their way through rubble searching desperately for their parent’s bodies while begging passers-by for water and food.

“Always be ready for anything, you never know what will happen to you.”

The Philippine government has defended its efforts to deliver assistance to victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

Soldiers are distributing rice and water in the typhoon-devastated Philippines and chainsaw-wielding teams are cutting debris from blocked roads as the aid effort picks up pace.

Desperation gripped Philippine islands devastated by Typhoon Haiyan as looting turned deadly and survivors panicked over shortages of food, water and medicine, some digging up underground water pipes and smashing them open.

Eight people were crushed to death when thousands of typhoon survivors stormed a government rice warehouse in the typhoon-ravaged Philippines, an official said.

Emily Sagalis cried tears of joy after giving birth to a “miracle” girl in a typhoon-ravaged Philippine city, then named the baby after her mother who went missing in the storm.

Rescuers are facing blocked roads and damaged airports as they struggle to deliver desperately needed aid to the typhoon-devastated Philippines.

Haiyan has made landfall in northern Vietnam as a tropical storm today, after leaving massive destruction in the Philippines.

Corpses hung from trees, were scattered on sidewalks, or buried in flattened buildings — some of the 10,000 people believed killed in one city alone by the ferocious Typhoon Haiyan that washed away homes and buildings with powerful winds and giant waves.

As many as 10,000 people are believed to have died in one Philippine city alone after one of the worst storms ever recorded unleashed ferocious winds and giant waves that washed away homes and schools.

As many as 10,000 people are believed to have died in one Philippine city alone when one of the worst storms on record sent giant sea waves, washing away homes, schools and airport buildings.

Rescuers in the central Philippines counted at least 100 people dead and many more injured today, a day after one of the most powerful typhoons on record ripped through the region, wiping away buildings and levelling seaside homes with massive storm surges.

The strongest typhoon this year slammed into the central Philippines yesterday, setting off landslides and knocking out power and communication lines in several provinces. At least four people died.

One of the strongest storms on record slammed into the central Philippines today, killing at least four people, forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes and knocking out power and communications in several provinces.

The strongest typhoon this year has slammed into the central Philippines, setting off landslides and knocking out power and communication lines in several provinces. At least four people have died.

Tropical storm Aere has lashed the north-eastern Philippines, killing at least nine people and forcing more than 100,000 villagers to flee from farming towns threatened by landslides.

Philippine police have detained a left-wing politician so he can face 22-year-old murder charges, despite a judge’s order delaying a transfer until the Supreme Court rules on his arrest.

Typhoon Utor lashed the central and eastern Philippines today, killing four people, including two toddlers, and forcing more than 90,000 people to flee to evacuation centres, officials said.

Recovery teams resumed their search at the site of a buried Philippine village today, amid fears that time has run out for finding survivors of a massive landslide.

Searchers burrowing with shovels at the site of a school buried in a massive landslide have no indications that anyone survived the disaster, a Philippine military official said today.

Volunteers with two sniffer dogs dug around a mud-covered elementary school today but found no signs that any of the 250-300 children and teachers inside were still alive two days after a massive landslide.

Rescue workers held little hope today of finding more survivors from a devastating Philippines landslide, saying a farming village was swallowed whole by a wall of mud and boulders that killed up to 1,800 people.

A RAIN-soaked mountainside disintegrated into a torrent of mud in the eastern Philippines yesterday, swallowing hundreds of houses and an elementary school in sludge three stories high.

A rain-soaked mountainside disintegrated in an unstoppable wall of mud today, burying hundreds of houses and a school in the eastern Philippines. Red Cross officials estimated 200 people were dead and 1,500 others missing.

A massive landslide rumbled down a mountainside on an eastern Philippine island today, burying hundreds of houses and a school packed with primary students. Red Cross officials estimated 200 people were dead and 1,500 others missing.

THE PHILIPPINE president yesterday flew to the devastated island of Leyte, where authorities declared a calamity following weekend floods and mudslides that killed at least 160 people in the region.

THE death toll from devastating mudslides in the Philippines rose to at least 119 yesterday, with searchers saying they have dug up the bodies of entire families huddled together in their buried village homes.

The death toll from devastating mudslides in the Philippines rose to at least 119 today, with searchers saying they have dug up the bodies of entire families huddled together in their buried village homes.

Rescuers battled rain, mud and floodwaters today in search of survivors after landslides and huge waves devastated eastern Philippine villages leaving up to 200 people dead.

Rescuers battled rain, mud and floodwaters today to search for more than 100 people believed buried under tons of earth and debris and feared dead after landslides and huge waves devastated eastern Philippine villages, officials said.