Neglect faulted in Philippine floods

Neglect faulted in Philippine floods

BUTUAN, Philippines (Reuters): Philippines officials on
Tuesday blamed years of environmental neglect for floods that
killed 23 people and left a trail of devastation on southern
Mindanao island.

Roaring through a center of logging activity last week, the
floods swept thousands of logs down river into the sea and washed
hundreds more onto the riverbanks en route.

"These floods are caused by decades of environmental
degradation... years of neglect," defense secretary Orlando
Mercado told reporters as he handed out rice and noodles to
affected families in Butuan City, about 775 km southeast of
Manila.

Mercado was visiting the Caraga region of southern Mindanao
island to assess the destruction, accompanied by food supplies
and a medical team headed for Butuan.