Philippine forensic workers were racing against time on Wednesday (November 13) as body bags continued to pile up in typhoon-hit Tacloban city.

Donning protective suits, forensic workers from the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation assisted relatives trying to identify loved ones among body bags piled inside a parking lot.

Although efforts are being made to wait for proper identification of bodies before any burial takes place, the NBI says it is racing against time due to the heat and the sheer number of casualties.

President Benigno Aquino said local officials had overstated the loss of life, saying it was closer to 2,000 or 2,500 than the 10,000 previously estimated. His comments, however, drew scepticism from some aid workers.