Small lumps of ice rained down on villages in the tropical country of the Philippines during a hailstorm.

Marble-sized ice balls pounded on roofs – with some as big as ice cubes – during a heavy downpour with strong winds in Bulacan province on August 13.

The unusual weather phenomenon was experienced in several villages as the country was battered by thunderstorms during the monsoon season.

No one was reported hurt in the incident but residents were left confused as the rare balls were found in their yard afterwards.

Resident Lalaine Acebedo Mariano said: ‘We heard a loud noise on the roof so I went out to check. It was like small rocks hitting the roof.

‘When I was outside, I noticed small ice balls on the ground. It was the first time it happened here because we live near a rice field and it’s usually hot.’

A hailstorm is an unusual weather phenomenon where balls of ice called hail fall from the sky. The size of these solid ice balls range from small pellets to golf balls depending on the weather conditions.