Teachers had to hitch a ride on an excavator to cross a raging river while travelling home from school.

Mary Grace Sibal and her colleagues just finished work at a school in Cebu province when they were stranded because of the swollen water.

The teacher said the river was calm in the morning but grew bigger after a few hours of rain.

She said: "I did not dare cross the river because it was too dangerous. Some villagers have drowned here before."

The group decided to wait for the water to recede while they sat on the dry part of the riverbanks.

Luckily, a kind worker offered them a ride on his yellow excavator so they could safely cross the rapids.

The teachers each found a comfortable spot at the top of the backhoe while holding learning materials for the children in their village.

Schools in the country have shifted to online classes due to the pandemic but remote areas without access to the internet are given printed modules which teacher Mary Grace and colleagues were preparing that day.

The teachers were able to go home safely thanks to the kind driver. However, teacher Mary Grace appealed to local officials to build a proper bridge to avoid accidents in the area.

Mary Grace added: "We need a bridge badly so it will be safe for the teachers and the students. We also always have to wait for hours for the water to recede during the rainy season."