Thousands of residents were evacuated as monsoon rains battered an island causing torrential floods in the Philippines.

Villagers fled from chest-deep floods amid intense downpours that pummeled Palawan island on February 9.

Soldiers and disaster responders were dispatched across the island to rescue stranded locals.

Footage shows troops from the 'Red Lions' amphibious unit carrying children, including a toddler and a baby, across submerged streets.

Local meteorologist Sonny Pajarilla said the island's capital Puerto Princesa saw the highest rainfall at 341.7 millimetres since records began in 1948.

He said: 'Aside from the rain, there are many developments compared to before. That's why people are saying this is the worst flood they have experienced. It is the by-product of the pressure systems spawning near our ocean.'

The weather expert also blamed global warming for the increasingly heavy rains.

State weather bureau PAGASA said the flood was caused by the northeast monsoon, and the shear line or the intersection of cold monsoon winds with warm air from the easterlies.

The provincial disaster management office said more than 2,000 people were taken to evacuation centres as the inclement weather was expected to last until Wednesday, February 12.