Stranded Buddhist monks used a zipline to cross a raging river following heavy rain in northern Thailand.

The elderly holy men, along with stranded locals, were ferried across the rapids using a makeshift pulley after powerful currents destroyed a bridge in Mae Hong Son province on July 2.

Footage shows residents gliding along the cables while the treacherous river roiled just a few feet beneath them.

The continuous downpour reportedly caused the stream to overflow and erode a section of the structure, leaving an impassable 40-foot gap in between.

Authorities have constructed a bailey bridge in its place on July 3, allowing pedestrians and small vehicles to cross over to the other side.

They said that the rain came as Thyphoon Chaba moved through neighbouring China. The Thai Meteorological Department had previously warned that the tropical storm would affer some northern regions.

Chinese forecasters said Typhoon Chaba had weakened into a tropical storm by Monday, July 4. However, heavy rain is expected as the storm moves across the central and eastern parts of the country in the coming days.

Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippinesare in the middle of their tropical monsoon rainy season, which lasts until October or November.

Soaring temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius are often followed by powerful tropical storms with thunder, lightning, rain and flash floods.