At least 87 people have been killed after a hillside church school collapsed in Haiti.

The three-story La Promesse College in Petionville, near the capital of Port-au-Prince, caved in as classes were in session.

Rescue workers said many of the casualties were children, while dozens more were trapped under the rubble and debris.

At least 35 students, 13 girls and 22 boys, were pulled from the rubble alive overnight.

Crowds of screaming and crying parents swarmed the ruins in the aftermath, searching for their children. UN peacekeepers, relatives and rescue services have helped with the search throughout the night.

President Rene Preval said the poorly constructed building did not meet building standards, but the priority of authorities was to continue to hunt for those trapped under debris but still alive.

Poor construction is common place in Haiti and the country is still struggling with the destruction brought on by four tropical storms and hurricanes that hit in quick succession this year.

More than 800 people were killed in the storms, which also destroyed 60 per cent of the crop harvest.

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