Rescuers battled rain, mud and floodwaters today in search of survivors and the dead after landslides and huge waves devastated eastern Philippine villages in a pre-Christmas tragedy that officials fear may have killed up to 200 people.
Defence Secretary Eduardo Ermita said at least 77 people were killed, including 61 in the hard-hit central province of Southern Leyte, and 123 others were missing.
Local officials, however, have reported only 24 deaths, but the varying tolls reflected the chaos in the wake of the disaster.
Officials feared the final fatality count will rise as bad weather, blocked roads and downed power and telephone lines hampered rescue and recovery work.
"We're receiving so many reports from the interior areas of whole villages being buried, of so many deaths, but we could not confirm them because roads were so badly damaged," Mr Allen Olayvar of the Office of Civil Defence in hard-hit Liloan town said.
One rescue team aboard a motor boat led by Leyte Gov. Rosette Lerias was turned back by huge waves near one village, officials said.
"We're still conducting search, rescue and retrieval operations," said Mr Melchor Rosales, executive director of the National Disaster Coordination Centre.
Asked about the prospects of finding alive those missing since the slides and waves struck late on Friday, he replied: "We're still hoping."