Around 800 to 900 snakes, including venomous cobras, escaped from a snake farm in Dengwei village, Hengzhou, in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region after floodwaters destroyed the facility, raising concerns among residents.
Local reports said some residents sustained snakebites following the incident, while rescue workers were deployed to contain the situation.
The flooding followed continuous heavy rainfall triggered by Typhoon Maysak, which left several reservoirs in Hengzhou under emergency conditions.
Videos and screenshots shared on social media on Tuesday showed claims that the snake farm had been washed away by floodwaters, allowing hundreds of snakes to escape into nearby communities. Residents were warned to remain vigilant.
Local authorities confirmed that about 800 to 900 snakes escaped after the farm was destroyed by flooding on July 6. They also confirmed that at least one villager was bitten by a snake and taken to hospital for emergency treatment.
Authorities explained that although venomous cobras were among the escaped reptiles, many of the snakes were non-venomous water snakes.
Residents said breaches at the Liulan and Yunbiao reservoirs flooded low-lying communities, allowing snakes from several small-scale farms to spread into surrounding areas.
Some trapped villagers reportedly suffered snakebites but were unable to access medical treatment immediately because they remained stranded by floodwaters.
A local snake farmer said farms located on higher ground were not affected, adding that many escaped snakes were from smaller farms in low-lying areas. He noted that many farmed snakes usually inhabit mountainous forests and could die after prolonged exposure to floodwaters.
The Hengzhou Emergency Management Bureau confirmed it had received reports of the destroyed snake farm and snakebite incidents and had dispatched rescue personnel to the affected communities. Authorities said further information would be released through an official announcement.
Following the incident, more than a dozen volunteers from neighbouring villages formed a civilian snake-catching team to help remove snakes from affected areas and reduce the risk of further attacks.
The team has been moving from house to house using fishing tools and electric fishing equipment to catch the reptiles. Authorities said most of the snakes had already been carried away by floodwaters, while those remaining were found on floating debris and stagnant floodwater. Most of the snakes captured so far have been non-venomous water snakes.
The village committee has advised residents not to attempt to catch snakes on their own and urged anyone who discovers a snake in their home to report it immediately so trained personnel can handle the situation.
