A young woman was criticised for posing for pictures by a raging flood in China.

The holidaymaker was slammed online after ignoring flood warnings and going down into a gorge to stand next to the torrent and pose for photos on September 22.

Despite the narrow wire available to hold onto and the expectation to stand on a slippery rock, she was undeterred, jumping up and down, waving her hands, and striking poses as the river raged behind her.

The footage was reportedly shot at Tiger Leaping Gorge, a scenic canyon on the Jinsha River that is usually popular with tourists but is currently off-limits due to dangerous water levels.

The Jinsha River is a primary tributary of the upper Yangtze River, located 37 miles (60 kilometres) north of Lijiang City. Tourists have been warned that entering the canyon is too dangerous and that they should observe from a distance.

However, the woman who had travelled to this site - part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas World Heritage Site - was determined not to leave without capturing some footage.

Legend says the name 'Tiger Leaping Gorge' comes from a hunted tiger escaping by jumping across the Jinsha River at its narrowest point, using a rock in the middle.