I have a glimmer of hope, based on the rule of thumb: Within 24 hours, you can still find survivors. After that, you move on to the recovery phase.
There are no signs of life, no rooftops, no nothing.
It is impossible to relocate everyone. This is a lesson for us but a lesson to which we have no permanent solutions.
The problem is that we cannot bring in heavy equipment because of the mud.
We asked them to leave yesterday. I had some of the villages checked again today, because some people didn't want to leave their homes.
We have decided to move on to recovery and rehabilitation of survivors because our greater responsibility ... is to rebuild the lives of those who have been devastated by this disaster.
We have decided to end our search and rescue operation... to give way for the construction of evacuation centers.
Presently we have more than 300 rescue members from the Army, Air Force and even mountaineer volunteers at the disaster site.
This is one of the last chances we have. The reports of the text messages, you'd like to believe them and hope that they are true because it's the only inspiration that keeps us going.
They told us they will continue digging ... there is no question of giving up.
They had to withdraw. They couldn't enter. We are continuing with our operations. We have not lost hope.
They are being buried as we speak, 50 of them, all in the one grave.
You don't see any houses any more. I saw only four rooftops that were covered by water; everything else was covered by mud.
For as long as the rescuers who are on the ground, who are the experts in what they are doing, say that 'we will continue', then we will support them.
They cannot bring in equipment because it would sink in the mud.
I don't see any homes, I don't see any buildings. It's just mud. Oh God, this is truly tragic.
The ground has really been soaked because of the rain. The trees were sliding down upright with the mud.