A pensioner trapped inside her house was rescued during severe floods in the Philippines.

Video shows the elderly woman riding piggyback on a firefighter who came to evacuate stranded residents in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte province past midnight on March 7.

Another man covered her with what appeared to be a sheet of cloth to shield her from the rain brought by a low-pressure area hovering outside the country.

Other residents were seen riding a styrofoam box and being assisted by the rescuers amid the waist-deep flood.

Onlooker Liezl Grace Buaquina said the water has receded but has left homes dirtied in mud.

At least 1,166 families in the city were affected by the deluge, the national disaster council said.

Swollen rivers halted traffic as water swamped the Tubod Bridge in a knee-deep flood. The downpour had also damaged the steel bailey bridge in Merila town when the soil supporting its approach had collapsed and left the structure askew. It has since been closed for repairs.

Iligan City Hall spokesperson Jose Pantoja said: ‘It rained hard for hours until 3pm on March 6, then it started raining again. By then, the rivers were already swelling.’

Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia has suspended work and classes at all levels while the city recovers. No casualties have been reported so far.