Manila - Four more miners were rescued overnight after one week in a flooded mineshaft in the northern Philippines, a regional police chief said Tuesday.

Gary Gano, one of the rescued miners, said they were forced to eat their clothes and drink water dripping from the ceiling of the shaft to survive the ordeal.

Gano said the miners moved deeper into the mineshaft to avoid being drowned in floodwaters that were sparked by a typhoon and suddenly rushed inside the tunnel in Itogon town in Benguet province, 225 kilometres north of Manila.

"I did not know how many days we were stuck in the tunnel," he said. "Some of our companions collapsed. Some were crying."

Chief Superintendent Eugene Martin said one miner was rescued before midnight Monday while three more were found early Tuesday as rescuers work round-the-clock to take advantage of good weather.

"It did not rain the whole day Monday and until this morning, so rescuers are working double time," he said. "Floodwaters have receded a bit, so our operations move at a faster pace."

The first two miners were rescued Monday afternoon, bringing cheers and raising hopes for the other miners' relatives and friends who were anxiously waiting at the opening of the shaft.

Martin said more navy divers were brought in late Monday to help in the race against time to find seven other miners believed to be still trapped in the shaft.

"The survivors were found separately inside the shaft," he said. "They were lucky to be able to find areas that were not reached by floodwaters. They survived with only the water they brought with them. They have no food."

Some of the miners require surgery for respiratory complications, Doctor Manuel Quirino said.

He added that all the rescued miners were suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome and needed more medical attention.

"They are scheduled to undergo stress debriefing," he said.

Chief Superintendent Martin Eugene, a regional police chief, said the 16 miners, who entered the shaft September 20 at the height of Typhoon Hagupit, brought only enough food for one meal because they did not plan to stay long.

Last week, rescuers saw three dead bodies of miners but were only able to recover two bodies. The third body was probably still stuck inside, Martin said.

Eight other Filipinos died in the typhoon from drownings, landslides and an electrocution.