Immigration centre riots after asylum seeker's death

Riots have erupted at an immigration detention centre on a remote Australian island after the death of an asylum seeker.

Fences at the facility on the outpost of Christmas Island were torn down while guards were forced to abandon the site, which holds hundreds of people, some of whom had attempted to reach Australia by boat.

The apparent abandonment means detainees seeking political asylum may no longer be separated from foreigners facing deportation for a variety of crimes.

The body of the man, who was identified by campaigners as an Iranian Kurdish asylum seeker, was discovered on Sunday at the bottom of cliffs away from the centre, the Immigration Department said.

Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton told parliament the unrest began at around 11pm local time on Sunday.