The Rain Came Down Hard. Then Came the Crocodiles

Heavy rain that started over the weekend in the Guangxi region of China has triggered landslides that are so far responsible for at least seven deaths. In Maoming, however, located in the nation's southeast Guangdong province, residents have an entirely different problem brought about by the rain: dozens of Siamese crocodiles popping up in the floodwaters, having escaped from a local farm, per the AP. Maoming citizens have been advised to stay inside, and away from bodies of water, due to the croc incursion, with 69 adult crocodiles and six juveniles reported to have fled from their home at a nearby freshwater aquaculture base, per the Washington Post.

Officials are "trying to keep things under control, but the number of escaped crocodiles is a bit too many," the district's emergency management bureau is quoted as saying by a state-run paper. One emergency official says at least a dozen of the on-the-lam reptiles have been recovered, but they warn "there could still be over 50 out there." The BBC reports that some crocodiles have been shot or electrocuted for "safety reasons," per local officials. Police, firefighters, and other emergency responders have been deployed with underwater sonar gear to track down the rest. (More China stories.)