People were advised to remain at home after more than 70 crocodiles escaped from a farm in south-east China following severe flooding.
The crocs took the opportunity to swim for it when Lake Pengcun broke its banks and surged over a village near Maoming, in Guangdong Province.
The 200-lbs reptiles were reportedly first spotted lurking in floodwaters on 11th September, prompting an urgent response from local authorities.
An estimated 69 adult crocodiles and six juvenile crocodiles have reportedly escaped and are now in the lake.
Officials from Maonan District, the Emergency Management Bureau, the police, and the fire department are all on-site handling the situation.
The area around the lake was quickly closed off as emergency crews tried to capture the crocodiles.
A short clip shows several of the large animals tied up on the ground next to officers reportedly stationed at the scene to ensure residents’ safety.
The video then cuts to show the moment one crocodile is captured while swimming in the lake.
Local police reportedly stated that, due to safety requirements, the remaining escaped crocodiles will be shot and killed.
The Maoming Municipal Emergency Management Bureau confirmed that there were indeed crocodiles that had escaped, and as of now, there have been no reports of injuries or casualties.
The Bureau advised all local residents to stay safe and not go outdoors, adding: “We are currently in control, but the number of escaped crocodiles is quite high.”
The search for the missing crocs continues with the help of sonar equipment as crews struggle to locate them all in the deep water.
The severe flooding came as Typhoon Haikui continued wreaking havoc in China’s southern regions after first making landfall on 5th September.
The violent storm also caused several landslides and killed more than seven people.
Three others reportedly remain missing.
More than 30,000 people were evacuated from their homes as the typhoon caused nearly 10,360 acres of farmland to be flooded, causing losses estimated at about CNY 552 million (GBP 60 million).
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Story By: Simona Kitanovska, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Asia Wire Report
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