Wed 13 September 2023:
Authorities in southern China have launched an operation to find more than 70 crocodiles that escaped when floods hit the region in recent days.
A typhoon brought sustained heavy rains to southern China last week. Deluges around the city of Maoming in Guangdong province caused a lake at a commercial crocodile farm to overflow with more than 70 crocodiles escaping, local media reported.
According to the reports, 69 adult crocodiles and six juveniles were on the prowl near the village of Peng Cun.
The flood water situation in Maoming, Guangdong on September 10. Crocodiles escaped from a local crocodile farm due to heavy rain and flood discharge.
China #Guangdong #FLood pic.twitter.com/rVQgFbtkvC
— Spotlight on China (@spotlightoncn) September 13, 2023
‘Crocodiles are still in the water’
A video published by the state-backed Beijing News showed emergency responders in red uniforms searching flooded fields in rescue boats.
Other images showed several 2-metre-long (6.5-foot-long) crocodiles lying on the road, their jaws bound with red tape.
“Crocodiles are still in the water, and several government departments are working to catch them,” state-affiliated China National Radio (CNR) reported, citing the local agriculture bureau.
🚨Alert! Over 70 crocodiles🐊on the loose! Due to the impact of #TyphoonHaikui, more than 70 crocodiles escaped from a farm in a village in Maoming City, #Guangdong Province. Authorities are actively capturing them, and local militias have stated that for safety reasons, these… pic.twitter.com/Cx0htFb9k0
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) September 12, 2023
“The specific situation is still under investigation, … [including] the specific number of crocodiles,” CNR said.
Crocodiles are bred in China for their skin and meat, which is sometimes used in traditional medicine.
The stricken area is also home to a crocodile theme park and the country’s largest crocodile breeding centre, according to CNR.
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