Typhoon Bopha death toll rises to over 1,000 in Philippines

The number of people killed after Typhoon Bopha struck the southern Philippines has risen to 1,020, officials say.

With nearly 850 people still missing, the toll is likely to rise further, Civil Defence chief Benito Ramos said.

The storm struck the Philippines on December 4th, with the southern island of Mindanao worst affected.

Many of those still unaccounted for are fishermen who went to sea before the storm hit.

“The death toll will go higher,” Benito Ramos told AFP news agency.

“We found a lot of bodies yesterday, buried under fallen logs and debris.”

The number of people known to have died now stands at 1,020, the national disaster relief agency said.

The storm displaced hundreds of thousands of people and caused severe damage to property and infrastructure.

A large relief operation continues.

More than 27,000 people remain in evacuation centres, with many more sheltering at the homes of friends and family.

The Philippines is hit by several typhoons each year but they usually strike further to the north.

Last year, Typhoon Washi left about 1,300 people dead when it struck northern Mindanao, causing rivers to burst their banks.

GoK-jbRZ0jc