This is the dramatic moment a young boy rescued a girl who was drowning in a water-filled ditch following heavy rain in India.

The mother and daughter were entering their house when the teenager fell into the muddy waters in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Footage shows the frantic girl, who had almost drowned, clinging to a pile of mud.

Upon seeing this, a passing child who had just harvested some plants pulled her back to safety.

The girl reportedly did not sustain any injuries.

Local authorities have been urged to take immediate action following the incident. They blamed monsoon rains that have hit the region causing the unfinished roadworks to become flooded.

Faulty walkways and poorly maintained pedestrian paths frequently lead to accidents, with some collapses resulting in injuries or fatalities in India.

Only around 30 per cent of urban roads have proper sidewalks, and many existing paths are broken, encroached, or neglected. Poor planning, lack of maintenance, and weak enforcement of regulations are among the key causes of these recurring hazards.