Typhoon and rain leave 850,000 stranded in Philippines

Around 850,000 people have been displaced and marooned in the Philippines after 11 days of monsoon rains which caused deadly floods.

Food, water and clothes have been rushed in aid by emergency workers to the hundreds of thousands of people.

The death toll has reached 64 since rains began at the end of July when Typhoon Saola struck and flooded around 60% of the metropolis Manila of about 12 million people.

Schools and many businesses remained closed for a second day straight as government forces and civic officials continued in the struggle to deliver aid throughout the city which has become a maze of rivers.

The Philippine government said that plans are being drawn up to permanently relocate residents along riverbanks and coastal areas in an attempt to reduce losses during typhoon and monsoon seasons.

The weather bureau said that rains should dissipate by Thursday and the rainfall alert level was lifted despite rainfall levels reaching 390mm over just 24 hours over the 323mm the previous day.