Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Philippines Red Cross Head Fears Mass Grave at Landslide Site
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=110AAA4:3919ACA Recovery
operations continue with hopes of finding possible survivors dwindling
The Philippine Red Cross chief says he fears Guinsaugon has turned
into a mass grave after the village on the central island of Leyte was
buried by Friday's landslide. Recovery operations continue with hopes
of finding possible survivors dwindling. The death toll estimate
ranges from 900 to 1,300 people in this tragedy.









Members of the Taiwanese rescue group dig out a boulder as they start
digging at the landslide area in search for victims Monday, Feb. 20,
2006 in Guinsaugon villageRelief officials say operations Monday
intensified with more manpower and equipment reaching the landslide
site at Guinsaugon village. Recovery efforts continue to be plagued by
rainy and windy weather.



Philippine Senator Richard Gordon, who is also chairman of the
Philippine Red Cross, says he is beginning to fear the worst.



"We have about 906 identified [confirmed] people underneath the rubble
right now," he said. "So that may turn out to be a mass grave because
the mudslide is really very deep. In some places, I'm told, it is 35
meters."



Some 1,800 people lived in the farming community of Guinsaugon before
it was buried by mud last week.



Gordon was at the village Sunday and says the soil conditions are very
unstable.



"It is very tricky. Imagine yourself walking on about 40 hectares of
cake. In some places you'll end up, as if you are in quick sand," he
said. "Because like yesterday some people, when they stepped, they
sunk up to their thighs. So there are places, I'm sure, where you can
get sunk all the way down."



Rescue teams from a number of countries are helping - including from
Taiwan, Malaysia and the United States, which diverted two warships
with Marines and helicopters to the area to lend assistance.

Meanwhile, fresh pledges of money or manpower came from South Korea,
New Zealand and Australia.



Landslides are not uncommon in the tropical, rain-soaked Philippines.


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