Typhoon death toll in Philippines rises to nearly 100

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The governor of an island province in the central Philippines says at least 49 people have died in the devastation wrought by Typhoon Rai in just half of the towns that managed to contact him, bringing the death toll in the strongest typhoon to batter the country this year to nearly 100. Governor Arthur Yap of Bohol province says 10 other people were missing and 13 injured, and suggested the death toll may still considerably increase with many mayors unable to reach him due to downed communications. He appealed for food packs and drinking water. Officials on Dinagat Islands, one of the provinces first pounded by the typhoon, separately reported 10 deaths from just a few towns, bringing the overall fatalities so far to 98.