Philippines typhoon death toll hits 238

The death toll from Typhoon Bopha that hit the Southeast Asian country of the Philippines has climbed to 238.

According to AFP, Philippine officials confirmed the casualties on Wednesday, saying that hundreds of others have gone missing in the worst storm striking the country in 2012.
With winds reaching 210 kilometers per hour, the typhoon swept across the island of Mindanao on Tuesday and then zeroed in on the South China Sea.
According to Lieutenant-Colonel Lyndon Paniza, over 140 people were killed and at least 240 others went missing in the rocky Mindanao town of New Bataan after the typhoon caused a series of landslides and flash floods.
Paniza added the storm claimed the lives of 81 other people in the nearby province of Davao Oriental and 15 in other areas.
According to social welfare officials, the storm caused the trees to fall and completely destroyed houses and other structures in several towns and villages.
One soldier participating in the rescue operations was also killed in the town of New Bataan, which was badly hit by mudslides and flash floods.