The Philippines has appealed for international assistance following the worstflooding in more than 40 years. At least 140 people have been killedas a result of the heavy rains and, as the death toll from the disastercontinues to rise, thegovernment has been overwhelmed by its scale.
The Philippine government is scrambling to provide shelter, food andbasic supplies for hundreds of thousands of people displaced by thefloods.
Tropical storm Ketsana brought torrential rains to thenorthern Philippines Saturday, inundating most of the capital Manilaand surrounding provinces. Surging water washed away buildings andcars. Scores of people were killed and many are still missing.
PresidentGloria Arroyo called the disaster an "extreme event" that has strainedthe government's capabilities to the limit. She said rescue effortswill continue until all residents are accounted for.
Two daysafter the flooding, rescue and relief operations continue to behampered by the lack of rubber boats and helicopters. Many victims aredemanding answers from local authorities for the lack of advancewarning and the slow response to the emergency. Victims said they werestranded on their rooftops for hours before help arrived.
Flood waters in some areas subsided Monday but thousands of homes are still without power.
Thegovernment has appealed for international humanitarian assistance.Vilma Cabrera, assistant secretary of the Philippine Social WelfareDepartment, said Monday her agency needs donations of basic necessities.
"Rightnow we need mats, blankets, mosquito nets, cooking utensils. We needhygiene kits and we need flashlights and lighting equipment," said Cabrera.
People have been warned about the danger of water-borne diseases. Schools are closed until Tuesday and many offices remain shut.
Stormslash the Philippines every year and tropical Storm Ketsana was not oneof the strongest, but it brought very large amounts of rain. InManila Saturday, a month's worth of rain fell in 12 hours.