Manila  - One person drowned and hundreds fled their homes when flash floods struck a southern Philippine town, a government agency said Friday.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council said continuous heavy rains over the past two days caused the Miral River in Bansalan town in Davao del Sur province, 990 kilometres south of Manila, to overflow late Thursday.

Several villages adjacent to the swollen river were inundated, forcing about 1,000 residents to abandon their homes and seek refuge in the town gymnasium.

Rescuers were scouring the areas affected by the flooding to ensure that no one was left behind. (dpa)