Four bodies retrieved following a major landslide in Tahiti

Rescue teams in French Polynesia have recovered four bodies from the rubble of a major landslide on French Polynesia's main island of Tahiti.

A child is one of the five people still missing, who are believed to be trapped under the rubble, according to local media.

The disaster struck several houses in the town of Afaahiti-Taravao, southeast of Tahiti, on Wednesday, around 5am local time.

Search and rescue operations were further complicated by more landslides due to the huge amount of water accumulated on the hill, forcing operations to retreat due to the collapse of another portion of the hill.

The whole area was evacuated which affected at least a dozen dwellers who have been temporarily placed at the city's gymnasium.

The affected site and its surroundings remain sealed off to the general public.

Search operations are reported to continue overnight, weather conditions and terrain stability permitting.

They are focusing on excavating the location of houses that have been completely buried.

About 50 gendarmes and firemen were deployed to search the site after the landslide, local public broadcaster Polynésie La Première reported.

Photo/Facebook/Tahiti Infos

The search also involves medical emergency teams, terrestrial means, underground cameras, radar, drones but also an army helicopter as well as sniffer dogs, French Polynesia's President Moetai Brotherson said in a brief statement as he visited the site.

"We have also activated a psychological assistance unit", Brotherson said.

A crisis centre to co-ordinate operations was also set up at the French High Commission in French Polynesia.

It predicted the search and rescue operation could last up to two days, mainly because the site is "unstable" and highly dangerous.

The landslide follows several days of heavy rains in the area.

Meanwhile, French Polynesia's main hospital, in Papeete has been placed on high alert to receive potential survivors of the disaster.

This article was first published in RNZ Pacific.