This is the dramatic moment a car was carried away by an overflowing drainage channel in India.

Footage shows the vehicle attempting to cross an inundated bridge before being swept off by the powerful current in Sarangarh, Chhattisgarh, on September 24.

Witnesses said they had already warned the three occupants from Odisha not to traverse the swollen creek, but their warnings were ignored.

The clip later shows the driver escaping from the partially submerged vehicle. Authorities confirmed the trio managed to get out of the car and swim to safety.

The auto was then washed away before being completely swallowed by the floodwaters.

Locals said continuous rainfall in the area had submerged several bridges and culverts, cutting off access to multiple villages.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over Chhattisgarh and Odisha on Wednesday, due to a low-pressure area over north Odisha and the northwest Bay of Bengal, with another system likely to form around Thursday.

These weather systems are expected to bring widespread rain to several regions in the coming days, with Chhattisgarh likely to see heavy showers on both Wednesday and Thursday.