New storm threatens Philippines

The Philippines called for urgent international aid today as rescuers pulled more bodies from swollen rivers and debris-strewn streets to bring the flooding death toll to 240.

Homes in the north of the country were buried under carpets of mud and the National Disaster Co-ordinating Council said nearly 380,000 people were brought to schools, churches and other evacuation centres.

Foreign governments and aid agencies have extended aid as overwhelmed officials called for international help, warning they may not have sufficient resources to withstand two brewing storms that forecasters spotted over the Pacific Ocean.

One may hit the northern Philippines this week and the other early next week.

Tropical Storm Ketsana, which scythed across the northern Philippines on Saturday, dumped more than a month's worth of rain in just 12 hours, fuelling the worst flooding to hit the country in more than 40 years.

Troops, police and volunteers have already rescued more than 12,359 people, but unconfirmed reports of more deaths abounded.

Defence secretary Gilbert Teodoro said help from foreign governments would ensure that the government could continue its relief work.

"We are trying our level best to provide basic necessities, but the potential for a more serious situation is there," Mr Teodoro told a news conference. "We cannot wait for that to happen."

The extent of devastation became clearer yesterday as TV networks broadcast images of mud-covered communities, cars overturned on city streets and huge numbers of villagers without drinking water, food and power.

In Manila's suburban Marikina city, a sofa hung from electric wires.

Since the storm struck, the government has declared a "state of calamity" in metropolitan Manila and 25 storm-hit provinces, allowing officials to use emergency funds for relief and rescue.

Resident Jeff Aquino said floodwaters rose to his home's third floor at the height of the storm.

Mr Aquino, his wife, three young children and two nephews spent that night on their roof without food and water, mixing infant formula for his two-year-old twins with the falling rain.

Among those stranded by the floodwaters was young actress Christine Reyes, who was rescued by movie and TV heart throb Richard Gutierrez from the rooftop of her home near Manila after she made a frantic call for help to a local TV network with her mobile phone.

Gutierrez, a close friend and Reyes' co-star in an upcoming movie, heard of her plight, borrowed an army speedboat and ferried Reyes, her mother and two young children to safety.

The US has donated £62,500 (€67,890) and deployed a military helicopter and five rubber boats manned by about 20 American soldiers from the country's south, where they have been providing counter-terrorism training.

The United Nations Children's Fund and the World Food Programme have also provided food and other aid.