The body of Philippine Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo was found and retrieved early today from the sea off a central province where his small plane had crashed three days earlier, officials said.

A moderately strong earthquake cracked buildings and knocked televisions and glassware from tables today in a central Philippine province, injuring at least five people and sending others rushing outside in panic, officials said.

Philippine officials say at least 39 people have been killed after a passenger ferry overturned while being buffeted by sudden monsoon winds and waves south-east of Manila.

The coast guard said today that 21 bodies have been recovered after a small outrigger ferry sank in rough waters in the central Philippines, raising to 23 the number of people killed by a storm.

At least 23 people have died and at least 86 others are injured after a fire on board a ferry in the central Philippines today.