- Heavy flooding in Guangxi, China, caused hundreds of snakes to escape from breeding farms
- At least 900 snakes, including venomous cobras, are on the loose due to flood damage to farms
- A woman died from a snakebite after delayed hospital access amid flood and roadblocks
As China intensifies its efforts to tackle intense flooding and rain-related disasters across several parts of the country, authorities and residents of the Guangxi region have found themselves in a rather unexpected situation - hundreds of snakes taking over the area.
According to a report by Bloomberg quoting state broadcaster CCTV, hundreds of snakes escaped from breeding farms as Guangxi faced heavy flooding, prompting authorities to stay on high alert. At least 900 snakes are at large, according to reports by Global Times and other Chinese media outlets.
A woman has reportedly died after being bitten by a snake and reaching the hospital late due to roadblocks and flood in Hengzhou, a city in Guangxi.
Videos of the snakes swimming in the floodwater have gone viral on social media, showing people wading through thigh-high waters to catch the elusive reptiles as they rapidly escape.
A Global Times report says that the snakes that escaped from the farms include venomous species, including cobras. Teams have been deployed to capture the escaped snakes, with authorities setting up temporary medical clinics to ensure rapid treatment of bite victims.
Guangxi is China's largest centre for commercial snake farming, with about 30 million reptiles bred for traditional medicine, leather products and meat.
A statement released on Wednesday from the regional office said "snakes have appeared in some waters" after multiple villages in the Hengzhou area were submerged in water.
The region has been hit by deadly storms, with reservoirs breaching or bursting and sending torrents of water into towns and cities. Six people were reported dead and about 130,000 have been evacuated. More than 8,000 people and about 5,700 boats have been deployed in the rescue operation, according to the Guangxi regional propaganda office.
The storms have also flooded pig farms, disrupted timber production and damaged jasmine plantations. At least 100 animals, including alpacas, miniature pigs and zebras, escaped a zoo in the Guangxi region after the floods damaged their enclosures.
