A hiker was killed and his three friends were rescued as a flash flood hit a waterfall in the Philippines.

Jerson Caballes, 21, and his university pals were hiking up Kan-irag Peak when a monsoon storm battered the popular tourist area in Cebu on Saturday, July 12.

The group tried to wade across the raging stream but Jerson, a poor swimmer, was said to have been swept away by the powerful currents.

Firefighters arrived at the scene at around 6 pm local time after receiving an emergency call from the stranded hikers.

Dramatic footage shows rescuers helping the trapped tourists cross a zipline as the swollen Budlaan River surged below them, the floodwaters cascading off the edge of the 30ft cliff.

Three people were saved, but Jerson's lifeless body was found several metres away from the base of the falls.

Village head Nerissa Antolijao said: 'The victim was on the way to Kan-irag Peak with three others when they passed through the waterfall despite warnings not to continue due to the rain. There was a flash flood and they were trapped midstream.

'It appears the victim didn't know how to swim and was allegedly forced to cross, which caused him to fall into the water and drown.'

The offiicial warned hikers to heed weather warnings, especially in flash flood-prone tourist spots.

In 2014, a 17-year-old athlete drowned while swimming during a team-building activity at the same falls.

While in 2016, a 16-year-old girl was swept away by flash floods in the area struck while she was on a picnic with her friends.

Cebu disaster officials had previously vowed to regulate tourist activity at the falls.

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.