Battle to beat super-typhoon in Phillippines

Filipino villagers paddle a boat across floodwaters in the town of Infanta, east of Manila Picture / Reuters

MANILA - Rescuers were last night struggling to reach three Philippine towns devastated by landslides and floods that killed at least 327 people as a typhoon headed towards the area.

Typhoon Nanmadol, packing winds of 150km/h at its centre, is expected to hit the country's east coast early tomorrow.

Hundreds of soldiers were yesterday ordered to carry relief supplies on foot to the devastated towns on the eastern coast as roads were cut off and bad weather grounded the country's few rescue helicopters.

"We need to bring food, medicine and blankets to affected communities today because another typhoon will hit these areas and it could be more difficult to reach thousands of families waiting for these relief goods," Major-General Pedro Cabuay told a local radio station.

At least 306 people died in the towns of Real, Infanta and General Nakar in Quezon province, about 80km east of Manila, after heavy rain caused flash floods and landslides, said Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman.

She said 150 people were missing in Real alone. Officials said at least 21 people had died in other areas.

Witnesses said flimsy houses in the three towns were swept away by a torrent of logs and mud, possibly loosened by years of illegal logging.

Local radio said residents of the towns were using the logs as makeshift coffins for their dead and had appealed for body bags before the next storm arrived.

"We are hoping that the typhoon would change course," said Rose Asejo, an official at the national weather bureau. "It's a super-typhoon with a wider coverage and very strong winds."

Soldiers helping in rescue efforts faced the added danger of attacks by communist rebels, who have a strong presence in the Sierra Madre mountains along the eastern coastline.

The military said 10 soldiers were killed and six wounded in an ambush by New People's Army rebels in Bulacan province.

Bad weather foiled early attempts to reach the worst-affected towns by helicopter. "They explored all approaches but they could not get in," said Air Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Restituto Padilla.

The Philippines is lashed by about 20 typhoons every year.

The most destructive in recent times was Thelma, which struck Leyte island in November 1991.

It unleashed floods in Ormoc City that drowned about 5000 people.

- REUTERS