8 dead in rice looting in typhoon-hit Philippines

TACLOBAN, Philippines — An official says eight people were crushed to death when thousands of typhoon survivors stormed a government rice warehouse in the typhoon-ravaged central Philippines.

National Food Authority spokesman Rex Estoperez said Wednesday that police and soldiers were helpless when the looting took place in Leyte's Alangalang municipality on Tuesday.

He said the eight were crushed when a wall collapsed. The looters carted away more than 100,000 sacks of rice.

Estoperez says there are other warehouses in the region but refused to say where they are for security reasons.