This is the shocking moment fish were washed out of a manhole and left flopping on the pavement in China.

Footage shows council workers in Dongying, Shandong province, inspecting the manhole after heavy rain. They were stunned when a fountain of water surged up as they removed the metal cover, bringing more than a dozen fish with it on August 27.

The water pressure forced the fish through the net that had been set up to prevent people from falling inside or objects from being dropped.

The fish swam in the shallow water that spilled onto the pavement, making them easy to catch.

After being captured, the fish were laid out on a cloth.

It remains unclear how the fish ended up in the drain. Local councils did not comment on the incident.