Hundreds of venomous snakes, including cobras and king ratsnakes, have escaped from flooded breeding farms in southern China as Typhoon Maysak continues to batter the region with severe storms. State media reported that a snake farm in Hengzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was inundated after days of heavy rainfall, prompting urgent warnings for nearby residents.
Escaped Snakes and Public Danger
A dramatic video shared by state media shows local residents using dip nets to catch snakes, with a cobra seen poking its head above a torrent of muddy water. Local media reported that the escaped species include water snakes, king ratsnakes, and cobras. A snakebite victim at a local hospital told Beijing News, "Hundreds of snakes escaped all at once. I've seen five or six." The villager was bitten by a cobra while clearing debris on the ground floor of his house at about 1pm on Tuesday. A local doctor treating snakebite patients confirmed he had treated several villagers since the typhoon hit.
Severe Flooding and Casualties
The incident occurred amid severe flooding in Guangxi, where two reservoirs experienced overtopping and breaches on Monday, leaving villages in several towns surrounded by flood waters. At least six people were killed, with more than 50,000 evacuated and six still missing. The death toll from devastating storms across China rose to 38 after a landslide in Gansu province killed 21 people, and thunderstorms and tornadoes killed at least 11 in Hubei province.
Government Response and Medical Measures
China's President Xi Jinping called for "all-out" rescue efforts as flooding and extreme weather continued. The Hengzhou emergency management bureau acknowledged reports of damaged snake farms and villagers bitten by escaped snakes. The Hengzhou Media Convergence Centre issued emergency guidance on preventing and treating snakebites, warning that venomous snakes including cobras, kraits, and green pit vipers had escaped. Authorities increased anti-venom supplies and opened a fast-track treatment channel for snakebite patients at Hengzhou People's Hospital, the city's designated snakebite treatment centre. The hospital declined to comment on reports that a snakebite patient had died.
Public Safety Warnings
The guidance urged people to exercise caution, noting snakes could seek shelter in homes, stairwells, building corners, and along riverbanks. Rescue personnel and medical specialists were deployed, with additional medical stations set up in affected areas. Although snake sightings are common in flood-hit southern regions, reports of hundreds of snakes escaping from commercial breeding farms are rare.
