Victims of recent mudslides in the Philippines are being buried in a mass grave to prevent the spread of disease.

The mudslides were triggered by Typhoon Durian, which hit the country on Thursday. They engulfed villages south-east of the capital Manila.

The official death toll stands at 406, with another 398 missing. Hopes of finding more survivors are dwindling.

The relief effort is progressing slowly, with soldiers having to walk for hours to reach affected areas.

The worst affected villages are Daraga, Busay and Santo Domingo, near the Mayon volcano, 350km (220 miles) from Manila.

Thick sludge

The head of the Red Cross in the Philippines, Richard Gordon, said the death toll could easily reach 700, and possibly even outstrip 1,000.

"There are many unidentified bodies, there could be a lot more hidden below. Whole families may have been wiped out," he told the Associated Press news agency.

The first funerals were carried out late on Saturday, as bodies decomposed in the heat.

Local official Gene Villareal told AP that some victims had been buried in a mass grave as a precaution.

"We opted to do this because we might have an epidemic, which could be expected because of the high number of evacuees and homeless," he said.

Officials say more than 40,000 people have been displaced by the mudslides.

About 100 miners have arrived to help with rescue efforts and army commanders have asked for dog teams to help with the search.

Foreign help

Many of the survivors, who have lost not only their homes but their livelihoods too after fruit trees and rice paddies were destroyed, have crammed into makeshift shelters in schools and churches.

Disaster agencies say there is an urgent need for fresh water, food and medicine for the survivors, and more body bags.

Typhoon Durian brought heavy rain and winds of up to 225km/h (140 mph). The rain dislodged ash and boulders from the slopes of the Mayon volcano, causing landslides which engulfed nearby villages.

Cedric Daep, head of the provincial Disaster Control Council, said waters had risen so fast that people could not escape from their houses.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the military to assist medical teams in reaching submerged villages.

Canada has pledged more than US$800,000 to help the relief effort and Japan says it will give more than $170,000.

Durian - named after a spiky Asian fruit - is the fourth typhoon to hit the Philippines in the last three months.

Photo Caption

Rescue workers head back to their camp