Students were saved after getting trapped in an overflowing river when the rope pulling their raft snapped while crossing.

Two students were coming home from school when the incident happened in Davao City, the Philippines before tropical storm Megi developed from a low pressure area.

One of the boatmen jumped into the water and swam to pull the bamboo raft onto the riverbank while frantic neighbours watched the scene unfold.

The students and the boatmen were safe but the raft was damaged from the strong currents on April 8.

Neighbour Dailyn Pacana said there was a bridge but residents would have to walk for more than two hours when the river could shorten their travel to 30 minutes.

She said: ‘We have been crossing that river since I could remember. It was the fastest route to our homes from schools and markets so we chose to pass through it.

‘We know it’s dangerous, but we could not afford losing hours of travel time which we could use for working. I hope something is done about it.’

The incident came shortly before tropical storm Megi disrupted the Easter holidays in the central and southern Philippines when at least 13,000 residents fled to evacuation centres due to severe flooding.

Water and electricity supply were also cut in some regions due to broken down pipes and roads remained unpassable.

State weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said it has weakened into a tropical depression packing maximum sustained winds of up to 45 kilometres per hour.