The death toll from landslides and floods in the Philippines rose to 78 with scores still missing and feared dead.

Rescuers hampered by mud and rain used their bare hands and shovels to search for survivors of landslides that smashed into villages.

Tens of thousands of people fled their homes as the storm pummelled the region in recent days, dumping heavy rain which flooded houses, severed roads and knocked out power.

Most of the deaths were in the central province of Leyte where a series of landslides devastated communities.

Aljazeera/Agencies.