REAL, Philippines, Dec 6 (AFP) - Relief goods poured into storm-ravaged areas of the Philippines Monday as rescuers made a last-ditch effort to find hundreds of people still unaccounted for after storms that left more than 1,100 dead and missing.
Heavy rain hampered air travel from the afflicted town of Real and its surrounding areas, while landslides and fallen bridges prevented road travel, leading people to flock to the town's sea port in an attempt to flee the disaster.
Real and its neighbouring towns of Infanta and General Nakar on the northeastern coast of the main Philippine island of Luzon suffered at least 495 people dead and 508 missing from the first storm last Monday.
Rough waters and strong winds churned up by Typhoon Nanmadol later in the week prevented aircraft and boats from making regular trips to the towns. Ferry services from Real only resumed at the weekend.
Last week's storms also claimed lives elsewhere in the country, causing floods and landslides, toppling trees and snapping power lines.
Local army commander Brigadier General Efren Orbon said a special 26-man volunteer rescue team from local mining companies had arrived in Real to attempt to recover some of the 100 people missing after a two-storey, makeshift evacuation center collapsed at the height of the storm.
Orbon conceded there was little chance anyone was still alive after a week but said, "Even if they are dead, we can at least present the bodies to the families."
There may also be more survivors in areas isolated by floods and landslides but there was a shortage of aircraft to spot these people from the air, he said.
"That is the problem. We do not have enough choppers for bringing in relief goods and choppers dedicated just for rescue missions. We don't have that luxury," Orbon said, adding that the weather was also hampering air travel.
A huge naval transport ship arrived at the Real port Monday bringing 90 tons of relief goods from government and private sources. Some 300 rain-drenched soldiers, who had earlier trekked through mud and landslides to reach the town, were waiting to unload the goods.
More private vessels also arrived at the port, including some pressed by the government to transport people who had been waiting for days to leave the area.
Benjamin Ritual, a captain of small ferry, said his boat did not normally service Real but the coast guard compelled him to go there because of the huge number of people who wanted to leave.
He said however he would only take 128 people, rather than the 150 he normally carried, because of the rough waters.
Carpenter Rizalito Leynes said he had been waiting for transport since Sunday to take his wife and five children to the capital Manila because their two-storey home was filled with mud.
"We have no water, we have no food, no bathroom. The children may get sick. My house has been buried in mud. I will bring my family to (Manila). We have been waiting since yesterday," he said.
Real had largely been cleared of mud and rubble Monday but areas outside the town were still covered with debris and scattered tree trunks.
Stores and markets had reopened but electricity supplies were still cut.
12/06/2004 03:42 GMT - AFP