Philippines Death Toll Hits 418

The death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Bopha rose on Friday to 418 people, while 383 remain missing. One general involved in recovery efforts explained that lack of equipment has hindered rescue-and-retrieval efforts. “Some of the dead are buried in knee-deep mud and we only have our hands and shovels,” he said, adding, “We are thinking of burying the unclaimed bodies on health concerns.” The governor of Compostela Valley, one of the hardest-hit provinces, estimated that “half of the missing could be dead by now.” He also indicated that most of the dead would be buried in mass graves if the bodies are not claimed within the next two to three days.