Downpour causes mass snake escape

Following days of heavy rainfall in Hengzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, a large number of snakes escaped from a breeding farm which was destroyed by the flooding in Dengwei village of Yunbiao township. CCTV reported that some villagers were bitten, and floodwaters made them unable to get prompt medical treatment.

On Tuesday, a netizen posted a screenshot to warn residents in the surrounding area about the escaping snakes, while another commented that some trapped villagers had already been bitten and faced a shortage of medical treatment, the report said.

Xiaoxiang Morning Herald, a news outlet based in Hunan province, reported on Tuesday that a resident's mother had been bitten by a venomous snake the previous night and was in shock. She had not yet received medical treatment as floodwaters meant vehicles were unable to reach the area.

A doctor surnamed Wu, from Yunfu, Guangdong province, told the Hunan news outlet that he drove around 200 kilometers to support the rescue work in Yunbiao township with a volunteer rescue team. The journey that normally takes four hours lasted more than eight hours because of the torrential rain.

After arriving in the township, Wu heard from locals that more than 1,000 snakes had escaped and some residents had been bitten. He subsequently called the relevant department of Nanning First People's Hospital and received a reply that the hospital had serum but they could not send it to the affected area. The hospital considered using drones, but the distance was too far, the report said.

In addition to antivenom treatment, the report said other supplies in urgent need for the elderly include medicines for diabetes and hypertension, as well as meat and vegetables.

The Hengzhou emergency management bureau said they were aware of the destroyed snake breeding farm and reports of snakebite incidents, adding that rescue personnel had been dispatched to the affected area.

The flooding was caused by persistent heavy rainfall brought by Typhoon Maysak, the 10th typhoon of the year. Multiple reservoirs in Hengzhou have experienced dangerous conditions, and emergency management, as firefighting and water resources authorities continue rescue operations and evacuations.