Calls for help pouring in as floods not subsiding

Rescuers in regions hardest hit by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine raced yesterday to reach people still stranded in areas made inaccessible by flooding, as disaster officials confirmed 81 deaths and almost half a million people displaced.

- MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN

In the hard-hit Bicol region, residents trapped on the roofs and upper floors of their homes were still awaiting desperately needed assistance, officials said.

"The floods have yet to subside. Calls asking for help are still pouring in here," regional police director Andre Dizon told AFP.

"We need to rescue them as soon as possible because starvation can be a problem. We're hearing reports that children are already getting sick."

In Camarines Sur, food and drinking water were in increasingly short supply as some areas remained completely submerged and difficult to access, he added.

President Marcos visited the area yesterday to inspect the damage before meeting with provincial officials.