关注社会:菲律宾140人死于台风

Manila Assesses Toll Of Typhoon Ketsana
The Philippines and its capital city, Manila, were counting the economic cost Monday of the worst flooding in more than 40 years as rescuers and volunteers plucked dead bodies from swollen rivers and tried to reach survivors still marooned by the devastating weekend storm.

At least 140 people were killed by floodwaters or smothered in landslides by Typhoon Ketsana, which dumped more than a month's worth of rain on Manila and the surrounding area in just 12 hours Saturday. An additional 32 people are missing, and officials are trying to verify scores more reported deaths as the floodwaters gradually recede from the most badly affected areas. Disease also is a threat; the inundation of putrid, polluted water is raising concerns about typhoid and bacterial infections among the 450,000 people affected or displaced by the deluge.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said the Philippines is seeking international assistance with the relief effort. 'The potential for a more serious situation is there, and we cannot wait for that to happen,' he said in a nationally televised briefing as criticism about the government's handling of the situation -- especially allegations that it had failed to provide adequate drainage -- mounted. At its peak, the flood covered 80% of Manila.

Concerns are growing, too, that the paralysis that the flood brought to Manila and its 12 million people could weigh on the Philippines' fragile economic recovery in the second half of the year. Officials estimated the economic cost -- including damaged roads, bridges and crops -- at around 1.4 billion pesos, or $30 million.

菲律宾及其首都马尼拉周一在计算逾40年来最严重的洪灾造成的经济损失，救援人员和志愿者在暴涨的河流中打捞尸体，并试图找到因周末的破坏性风暴而受困的生还者。

上周六短短12个小时内，台风凯萨娜(Typhoon Ketsana)给马尼拉及其周边地区带来了相当于一个月的降雨量，由此导致的洪水和泥石流导致至少140人死亡或被埋。另有32人失踪。随着洪水逐渐从受灾最严重的地区退去，官员们在努力确认另外数十名死亡人数报告。疾病也是个威胁；散发恶臭的污水泛滥，令人们担心受洪水影响或无家可归的45万人蔓延伤寒和细菌感染。

菲律宾国防部长特奥多罗(Gilbert Teodoro)说，菲律宾正在寻求国际社会援助救灾。他在面向全国电视转播的情况说明会上说，可能会出现更严重的情况，我们不能坐等这种情况发生。目前人们对菲律宾政府应对措施的批评日渐加剧，尤其是指责其未能提供充分的排水系统。洪水最严重的时候涉及马尼拉80%的地区。

人们也越来越担心洪水令马尼拉陷入瘫痪状态，其1,200万人口的生活也陷入停顿，这可能在今年下半年对菲律宾脆弱的经济复苏造成压力。相关官员估计，包括损毁的道路、桥梁和农作物在内的经济损失约为14亿菲律宾比索（合3,000万美元）。