JNN 19 Dec 2011 Manila : The Philippines is preparing to hold a mass burial for those who lost their lives in flash floods on the southern island of Mindanao, as the death toll now exceeds 700.

Health officials in the port cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan say unclaimed bodies will be buried in mass graves as early as Monday to minimize health risks from the decaying bodies, AFP reported.

“Today we will dig a mass grave and bury the unclaimed bodies as well as those in an advanced state of decomposition,” Iligan’s Mayor Lawrence Cruz said on national television.

Teresita Badiang, an engineer at the Iligan mayor’s office, said in addition to a mass grave, the city was building two large concrete tombs for cadavers to be put side by side “so that their burial will be dignified.”

Philippine’s massive flooding triggered by tropical storm Washi, has also left more than 800 others still missing on the Mindanao Island.

Philippine’s National Red Cross warned that the number of the victims of the flash floods could climb further as hundreds of people are still missing in the country’s flood-ravaged region.

The disaster has left many stranded in evacuation centers, in desperate need of fresh water, shelter and medicine.

Rescue operations are underway but damaged roads are hindering efforts to reach survivors in remote villages.

Tropical storm Washi swept through the north coast of the island of Mindanao in southern Philippines on Friday and early Saturday, bringing heavy rains that inundated the area.

Most of the victims were asleep Friday night when massive floodwaters hit the island after 12 hours of rain. The floods have swept away entire villages in some areas.

An average of 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year, often causing death and destruction.

In September, back-to-back typhoons left more than 100 people dead in northern Philippines