More than 120 people have died and 160 others are missing in the Philippines after a tropical storm caused flash flooding and landslides at a peak time for Christmas travel, officials have said.

Most of the deaths were in the hard-hit provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur and on the Zamboanga Peninsula, Romina Marasigan of the government's disaster-response agency said.

The flooding was caused by Tropical Storm Tembin - known locally as Vinta - which is the latest to hit the Philippines.

The country is battered by about 20 typhoons and storms each year, making the archipelago that lies on the Pacific typhoon belt one of the world's most disaster-prone countries.

"It is unfortunate that another tropical cyclone, Vinta, made its presence felt so near Christmas," presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr said, adding that food packs and other aid were being distributed in storm-hit communities.

The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons and storms each year Credit: AP

Tembin, which was packing maximum sustained winds of 50mph and gusts of up to 60mph on Saturday, strengthened into a typhoon on Sunday before moving out into the South China Sea.

Intense rainfall in the mountains most likely caused landslides that blocked rainwater, said Marina Marasigan of the government's disaster-response agency.

When the naturally formed dams broke from the pressure, torrents of rainwater smashed into the villages below, she added.

The provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur have been hardest hit Credit: AP

Mayor Bong Edding of Zamboanga del Norte province's Sibuco town blamed logging operations in the mountains for a flash flood which swept away homes and more than 30 residents.

He continued that he and other officials would move to halt the logging operations.

"The floodwaters from the mountain came down so fast and swept away people and houses," Edding said.

"It's really sad because Christmas is just a few days away, but these things happen beyond our control."

So far five bodies have been recovered.

Credit: PA

A large number of dead and missing was also reported in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces, where floodwaters from a mountain washed away several riverside houses.

Ms Marasigan asked the public to heed storm warnings and evacuation orders to avoid casualties.

"We're really sad that we have this news especially because our countrymen were looking to celebrate Christmas," Ms Marasigan said in a televised news conference.

Thousands of villagers fled to emergency shelters and more than 500 passengers remained stranded in airports and seaports after the coast guard prohibited ferries from venturing out in the rough seas and several flights were canceled as the storm raged Saturday.