This is the moment thousands of fish were washed out of a giant reservoir during heavy rain in China.

The fish plunged over the overflow onto a concrete step where they were easy prey for enthusiastic locals using nets to catch before they were then washed over a further step down a steep slope into a stream.

Thousands of fish were seen writhing around on the first step after being washed over the edge of the reservoir in Nanning, which is the capital and largest city by population of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Although there was no restriction on fishing, reservoir managers advised people to avoid trying to catch the fish in a statement on June 5 as heavy rains made local conditions treacherous.

A staff member of Shuangding Police Station in Xixiangtang District said that they had sent personnel to the reservoir to persuade people to leave: 'The area has been cordoned off. We went there in the morning and returned at noon.'

The Xixiangtang DistrictAgriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau said that it would arrange for staff from the WaterConservancy Bureau to go to the reservoir to remind everyone not to catch fish.