Four people were killed when their vehicle was swept away on a flooded spillway bridge in the Philippines.

The passengers were returning home from a religious event when the tyre of their vehicle reportedly detached in Zamboanga del Norte on June 23.

The car - a light-duty truck used by local rescue teams - overturned and was washed away by the raging currents while 16 people were still inside.

Shocked residents called emergency services as the truck rolled over before landing upside-down in a rocky section of the channel.

Footage shows rescuers using a backhoe to lift the fallen vehicle out of the gushing floodwaters.

Authorities said two people were killed at the scene while two others died after being rushed to the Pinan District Hospital. Twelve were injured and given first aid.

The deceased were named by officials as local village chief Nicanor Alforo Jr., 50, , Roxan Calibugan, 50, Michelle Alforo, 25, and Nathan Alforo, 12.

Police Major Shellamie Chang, spokesman for the Police Regional Office 9, said: 'The driver thought the flood was passable. He made a gamble, according to the report we received.

'While he was driving through the spillway, because of the strong current, one of the tyres fell until the entire truck plunged into the water. They were swept away.'

Local rescue worker Jerry Cabasag said the driver, who survived the incident, admitted he was unfamiliar with the spillway and had tried to take a shortcut back home.

The rescue truck, owned by Dumingag village, had been authorised by the village council to transport the group to a religious service in nearby Misamis Occidental province.

The Philippines and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.