Hundreds of people were feared dead in the central Philippines after mudslides triggered by heavy rains buried houses and an elementary school packed with children on Friday, officials and witnesses said.

Footage from local television showed wide areas of the remote farming village of Guinsaugon, near Saint Bernard town in Southern Leyte province, covered in reddish mud, with only the tops of coconut trees and a few tin roofs sticking out.

Blocked roads, washed-out bridges, cut communications lines and lack of heavy equipment were hindering rescuers.

"Our estimate is about 2,500 people were buried," said Colonel Raul Farnacio, in charge of the military's relief operations.

Full story from Reuters.