Frantic locals raced to catch thousands of fish that washed up on the shore.

Footage shows the frenzied residents and tourists rushing to grab some of the sardinella flopping on the shallow part of the sea in Cebu, the Philippines, on November 3.

The excited families and visitors screamed while hauling the fish into their buckets and nets.

Resident Christian Sabandal said: 'There was so much fish. It was a blessing from the sea.'

The area was a known diving spot for tourists wanting to witness large schools of sardines.

The cause of sardinella stranding remained unclear, but the country was recently ravaged by powerful typhoons Trami and Kong-rey.

Powerful water movements, especially during storms or high tides, can push schools of fish toward the shore, sometimes stranding them in shallow waters or on the beach.

Sardinella is a species of small, schooling fish commonly found in the Visayan Sea, Sulu Sea, and along the western coast of the Philippines.