At least 40 people have been killed after Tropical Storm Ketsana dumped more than 16 inches (40 centimetres) of rain on the Philippine capital, Manila, in just 12 hours, officials said today.

Nearly a month’s worth of rain fell in six hours today as Tropical Storm Ketsana slammed ashore in the Philippines, killing five people and stranding thousands on rooftops in the capital’s worst flooding in more than 42 years.

Officials in the Philippines refused to give up hope of rescuing some of the 800 people missing after a ferry capsized during Typhoon Fengshen, even as high seas stalled efforts to get inside the vessel today.

At least six people were killed and dozens of others injured when a powerful explosion rocked a crowded shopping centre in the capital of the Philippines today.