A huge monitor lizard appeared in a flood outside shops in Indonesia.

Footage captured by Fadlan shows the reptile wading in the water amid a heavy downpour in Palu, Central Sulawesi.

When residents saw the creature roaming nearby, they tried to catch it as it headed toward a coffee shop on April 25.

A brave man then tried to grab the lizard's tail. However, it fought back by almost biting the local.

This prompted the threatened animal to scurry to safety, but it was eventually captured by the lad.

The filmer said: 'We were shocked because it appeared when there was a puddle on the road during heavy rain. We tried to catch it because it was about to enter the cafe.'

Asian water monitor lizards normally live in canals, swamps, sewers and ponds in cities in Indonesia. They feed on fish, snakes, frogs and scraps of food left by humans.

The reptiles are aggressive when threatened and have a mildly venomous bite which sometimes carries harmful bacteria.