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CNN Live At Daybreak
Death Toll in Philippine Landslides Climbs
Aired December 22, 2003 - 06:21 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The death toll in the Philippine landslides has climbed to at least 161 now. Another 93 people are missing and feared dead. Six days of rain, heavy rains and winds let loose torrents of mud, rocks and dirt there. Blocking roads and a lack of heavy equipment have slowed the rescue effort there. The U.S. has offered some military transport helicopters to help them with the problems. Rescuers report finding some entire families buried alive there.
Let's go to CNN producer Judith Torres.
She's joining us by phone from Manila with the very latest from there -- Judith, what can you tell us?
JUDITH TORRES, CNN PRODUCER: Catherine, it's 7:30 in the evening here in the Philippines and for hundreds of families across central Philippines, it'll be their fourth night in cold, wet and total darkness. It's three days, it's been three days since flash floods and swept away entire villages and landslides have dumped tons of mud on scores of houses, killing 161 people, leaving 50 injured and 93 missing.
The heavy rains threatened to trigger more landslides earlier today, but the weather cleared up somewhat in the last three hours and help was finally able to reach some of the hardest hit towns -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: Judith, we know all about the extreme weather conditions there with the heavy rain and the wind. But some reports that maybe logging, some of the clearing of the land there may have contributed to this disaster.
TORRES: Yes, that is so. The province of Suleta (ph) is notorious for illegal logging. As a matter of fact, some five years ago -- no, in 1991, the worst tragedy that ever struck the Philippines related to flooding and landslides was because of illegal logging. Over 5,000 people died because of landslides due to illegal logging.
However, Department of Environment and Natural Resources officials say also that this is because of unusually -- the unusually high amount of rain that happened nonstop for six days that really did this in. Because the areas that we're talking about are not forested or deforested areas. They are coconut plantations that have been that way for several generations now.
So illegal logging, in this particular instance, for these particular towns, is not the culprit -- Catherine. CALLAWAY: Judith, what about the situation in rescue efforts and trying to get aid to these people? I know the U.S. has offered to give military transport helicopters to help in this situation.
Are helicopters about the only way to get to some of these areas?
TORRES: Oh, absolutely -- oh, no, no, no. I'm sorry. Given the bad weather, the choppers have been unable to get to San Ricardo (ph). The winds are just too strong. By boat is impossible. The waves are simply too rough. There have been some inroads made using bulldozers, OK, via land. But it's slow going and given that darkness has fallen already and without electricity, these clearing operations will just have to come to a halt and we will have to wait for daybreak again -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, Judith.
Heartbreaking video from Manila there.
Thank you very much.
That is Judy Torres.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 22, 2003 - 06:21 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The death toll in the Philippine landslides has climbed to at least 161 now. Another 93 people are missing and feared dead. Six days of rain, heavy rains and winds let loose torrents of mud, rocks and dirt there. Blocking roads and a lack of heavy equipment have slowed the rescue effort there. The U.S. has offered some military transport helicopters to help them with the problems. Rescuers report finding some entire families buried alive there.
Let's go to CNN producer Judith Torres.
She's joining us by phone from Manila with the very latest from there -- Judith, what can you tell us?
JUDITH TORRES, CNN PRODUCER: Catherine, it's 7:30 in the evening here in the Philippines and for hundreds of families across central Philippines, it'll be their fourth night in cold, wet and total darkness. It's three days, it's been three days since flash floods and swept away entire villages and landslides have dumped tons of mud on scores of houses, killing 161 people, leaving 50 injured and 93 missing.
The heavy rains threatened to trigger more landslides earlier today, but the weather cleared up somewhat in the last three hours and help was finally able to reach some of the hardest hit towns -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: Judith, we know all about the extreme weather conditions there with the heavy rain and the wind. But some reports that maybe logging, some of the clearing of the land there may have contributed to this disaster.
TORRES: Yes, that is so. The province of Suleta (ph) is notorious for illegal logging. As a matter of fact, some five years ago -- no, in 1991, the worst tragedy that ever struck the Philippines related to flooding and landslides was because of illegal logging. Over 5,000 people died because of landslides due to illegal logging.
However, Department of Environment and Natural Resources officials say also that this is because of unusually -- the unusually high amount of rain that happened nonstop for six days that really did this in. Because the areas that we're talking about are not forested or deforested areas. They are coconut plantations that have been that way for several generations now.
So illegal logging, in this particular instance, for these particular towns, is not the culprit -- Catherine. CALLAWAY: Judith, what about the situation in rescue efforts and trying to get aid to these people? I know the U.S. has offered to give military transport helicopters to help in this situation.
Are helicopters about the only way to get to some of these areas?
TORRES: Oh, absolutely -- oh, no, no, no. I'm sorry. Given the bad weather, the choppers have been unable to get to San Ricardo (ph). The winds are just too strong. By boat is impossible. The waves are simply too rough. There have been some inroads made using bulldozers, OK, via land. But it's slow going and given that darkness has fallen already and without electricity, these clearing operations will just have to come to a halt and we will have to wait for daybreak again -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, Judith.
Heartbreaking video from Manila there.
Thank you very much.
That is Judy Torres.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
