Flash Floods Kill More Than 650 In Philippines

The number of people killed after a typhoon hit the southern Philippines has risen to over 650.

Hundreds more are missing and an estimated 100,000 are homeless after torrential rain triggered by tropical storm Washi caused rivers to burst their banks while people slept in the Mindanao region.

Among the worst-hit cities are Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. At least 652 people have died and 808 are missing, the Red Cross said.

Those missing include a prominent local radio broadcaster, who was swept away while trying to save his neighbours, according to the city's mayor.

Authorities said several people drowned in floodwaters on the island province of Negros Oriental, whose southern tip was nipped by the eye of the storm.

Many people managed to escape by climbing onto their roofs, while tens of thousands fled to higher ground.

"We stayed on top of our roof. All we could see were lights flashing while we made a hole on our roof to climb on," said one female survivor.

Ayi Hernandez, a former congressman, said he and his family heard a loud "swooshing sound" and water quickly rose ankle deep inside his home.

He decided to evacuate to a neighbour's two-storey house.

"It was a good thing because in less than an hour the water rose to about 11ft (3.3 metres)," he said.

The local government has declared a state of emergency in the flooded regions and sent food and water to the thousands of displaced families.

Britain's Foreign Office has advised against all travel to the flood-hit region.