Special report: Major Filipino mudslide

A woman is surrounded by rescuers after a mudslide in Leyte province in this February 17, 2006 video grab. (Photo: Xinhua/REUTERS)

    MANILA, Feb. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Hundreds of villagers are feared buried alive by a landslide triggered by a minor earthquake and heavy rainfall in St. Bernard, Southern Leyte in south-central Philippines Friday, sweeping away 300 households in minutes, said authorities.

    Local officials said from 2,000 to 3,000 people could have been killed while 35 people were rescued from the site of the landslide, which buried three villages. The disaster site looks like a huge burial ground with black mud where rescuers were working to save any survivors from the mud.

    An elderly woman and a baby were seen on television rescued from the mud by rescuers, who worked desperately but apparently lacked enough equipment.

    A rescue worker said the next 24 hours would be crucial in pulling out survivors trapped underneath tons of mud and rock in Barangay Cabagawan, Sug-angon and Guinsaugon.

    But hope is dimmed for most of the villagers buried undergroundas authorities said rescue work would be suspended in the evening.

    A large portion of a mountain nearby buried at least 300 houses and an elementary school, where pupils were studying.

    The local radio DZMM quoted a witness as saying that "it sounded like the mountain exploded, and the whole thing crumbled. I could not see any house standing anymore."

    The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said a 2.6 magnitude earthquake hit the southwestern portion of Southern Leyte at 10:36 a.m. (0236 GMT). He said the quake was felt at intensity 2 in Sogod town. The landslide took place less than an hour later.

    Officials of the institute said this earthquake could not have triggered a landslide alone.

    But officials said rainfall in Southern Leyte hit a record highlevel from early February because of the La Nina phenomenon.

    Officials also blamed unchecked logging activities in the area for the disaster.

    Emergency teams from the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and the Southern Leyte provincial government have been deployed in the area.

    Officials said many residents were inside their homes when the landslide struck. Most of the residents evacuated the area earlier this week because of heavy rain, but returned after the weather cleared up, they said.

    Like much of Eastern Visayas, Southern Leyte has been experiencing continuous rainfall for the past two weeks, which experts attributed to the La Nina weather phenomenon.

    Last Sunday a landslide hit Sogod municipality, also in Southern Leyte, where eight people died while traveling on a road.

    Red Cross officials said rescue centers are being set up in Saint Bernard and rescuers are in need of medical kits, rubber boots, blankets, clothes and bottled water, while appealing for aircraft to distribute relief to the displaced, most of whom are believed to be in extremely remote areas. Enditem