700 Missing as Typhoon Sinks Philippines Ferry

A Philippines passenger ferry sank in a typhoon, leaving at least four known dead and some 700 missing, Reuters reports. A rescue ship arrived at the scene to find none of the missing, AP reports, and only three people were found alive in various villages. Some of them may have transferred to another ship, officials said.

Typhoon Fengshen has killed 85 people amid high winds and flooding. Many more are trapped atop their houses, stoking fears the death toll could rise. One region “is like an ocean—this is the worst disaster we have had in our history,” said its governor. Nearby, 2,000 houses were destroyed, and 20,000 people are staying in evacuation centers. “Roads are impassable so we cannot penetrate the municipalities,” said an official. (More typhoon stories.)