BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Philippine mudslides a 'calamity'

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Philippine mudslides a 'calamity': "Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has declared a national calamity following devastating mudslides which have left hundreds of people dead or missing.

The Red Cross has put the death toll from Thursday's tragedy at 406, with 398 missing, but the aid organisation said the toll could pass 1,000.

Hopes of finding many more survivors are fading.

The mudslides, triggered by the heavy rains of Typhoon Durian, struck near the Mayon volcano south-east of Manila.

Mrs Arroyo released 1bn pesos ($20m, £10m) for reconstruction work and vowed further efforts to find survivors.

'All resources of the government will continue to be mobilised without let-up as we pin hope against hope on the search of survivors,' she said in a statement." Read complete post here.