More than 800 people were being searched for by rescuers in the southern Philippines on Sunday following flash floods and landslides that swept houses into rivers and out to sea. The devastating storms killed over 650 people in areas that were not prepared for such disasters. Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities on Mindanao island were hit the hardest by Typhoon Washi, which struck while residents were sleeping, causing water and mud to rush through villages and destroy mountainsides. The Philippine National Red Cross reported that 652 people were killed in eight provinces in the region, with more than 800 still missing. Gwendolyn Pang, the secretary-general of the PNRC, said they were inundated with requests to help find missing loved ones and were working with local authorities, the army, police, and other aid agencies to coordinate search efforts. Floods swept away entire houses with families inside in numerous coastal villages in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. Mayor Vicente Emano of Cagayan de Oro expressed that this devastating event was unprecedented for their city. He mentioned in a radio interview that officials in the area were not adequately warned before the typhoon hit. However, the state disaster agency stated that officials and residents were given sufficient warnings three days prior to the typhoon's landfall on Friday. As bodies continued to pile up, disaster and health officials faced challenges in managing the situation. Some corpses were piled on top of one another in mortuaries with insufficient staff to handle the large number of dead. Vice President Jejomar Binay witnessed bloated bodies of women and children, numbering at least 100, during his visit to the most severely affected areas in Cagayan de Oro. Binay provided food supplies and ordered the relocation of families living near waterways and other dangers. Brigadier General Roland Amarille, leading an army task force in Iligan, stated that soldiers were deployed to retrieve bodies and construct coffins. Amarille stressed the need for body bags and lime to manage the excessive number of bodies, as there was concern about a possible disease outbreak. He mentioned that local mortuaries are no longer able to accept cadavers and are urging people to bury the dead quickly due to the overwhelming number of bodies, some even being stored in hallways. The majority of the deceased were from a slum area on an island between two rivers in Iligan, where approximately 70 percent of the houses were swept into the sea. Mindanao island, located in the southern part of the Philippines, is known for its mineral resources and agricultural production, but is not typically affected by the average 20 typhoons that hit the country annually. Pang expressed the need to educate people on how to cope with such changes in climate. The amount of rain that typically falls in one month came down in a single day. Typhoons usually hit the central Visayas region, as well as the south and east of Luzon, the largest island in the north. Carmelita Pulosan, 42, along with eight family members and neighbors, managed to survive by sitting on the tin roof of their house as it floated out to sea after their village was flooded. They were eventually saved by a cargo ship. "There was a loud noise and then a sudden rush of water." Pulosan, who is from Cagayan de Oro, shared with Reuters that she and her family were swept away by the river current and ended up in the sea. She mentioned that the current was powerful but they were fortunate to be saved by God. She also mentioned that their village was left with only one 3-storey building standing. Pang, a Red Cross official, mentioned that both officials and residents were caught off guard by the unexpectedly large amount of water flowing from the mountains into the river systems, as the area was not typically affected by typhoons. She noted that Cagayan de Oro had not seen significant flooding since 2009, with minimal damage and no casualties. Despite this, many residents returned to find their homes destroyed. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed readiness to assist the Philippines, a key ally, while the Chinese embassy announced a $10,000 donation to aid in relief efforts. Washi, which has been reduced to a tropical storm with wind gusts reaching speeds of 80 km per hour (50 miles per hour), was located approximately 60 km (40 miles) west of Puerto Princesa in the southwestern region. It was anticipated to exit Philippine waters by Sunday evening.