Irma Bule, an Indonesian pop singer known for performing with live snakes, has died after a King Cobra attacked her during a gig this week.

Bule reportedly stood on the snake's tail, causing it to bite her on the thigh during a show at Karrawang, West Java. Remarkably, she continued playing for 45 minutes before falling ill.

Indonesian singer Irma Bule has died after being bitten on stage by a King Cobra snake. Credit:YouTube

An eye-witness, Ferlando Octavion Auzur, said Bule refused an offer of antidote after the bite. But 45 minutes later, she collapsed on stage vomiting and suffering seizures and was taken to hospital, where she died. She was 29.

According to National Geographic, the venom from a single King Cobra bite "is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant. King cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible, but they are fiercely aggressive when cornered."

A handler attempts to detach a king cobra snake after it bit singer Irma Bule. She later died. Credit:YouTube

Bule was a folk-pop singer, who regularly performed with large de-fanged snakes. Some reports of the incident said Bule did not realise she had suffered a life-threatening bite.

Indonesian police are reported to be investigating the incident.