‘Still in the water’: 75 crocs on the loose in China after typhoon

A Chinese city has launched an operation to find a large number of crocodiles that escaped when floods hit the region.

Dozens of crocodiles are on the loose in China after they escaped during recent flooding brought on by Typhoon Haikui.

Seventy-five crocodiles, including 69 adults and six juveniles, broke out when a lake overflowed in a breeding farm in Maoming, in Guangdong province, local media reports.

A person who answered the phone at the local emergency management office told AFP on Tuesday that officials were “working to deal with” the runaway crocs.

The person did not say how many animals were still on the loose or whether any had so far been recovered.

“Crocodiles are still in the water, and several government departments are working to catch them,” the state-affiliated China National Radio (CNR) reported, citing the local agriculture bureau.

“The specific situation is still under investigation … (including) the specific number of crocodiles,” CNR said.

75 crocodiles broke out from their breeding farm. Picture: Getty

A video published by the state-backed Beijing News showed responders in red uniforms searching flooded fields in rescue boats.

Further images showed several two-metre-long scaly beasts lying on the road, their fearsome jaws bound tight with red tape.

Typhoon Haikui, which has now been downgraded a tropical storm, brought sustained heavy rains to southern China last week, triggering inundations in Hong Kong and other areas.

At least seven people have been killed and thousands have been forced to evacuate from their homes.

Rescue workers ride a boat along a flooded street in Shenzhen, in China's Guangdong province on September 8, 2023. Picture: AFP.

The typhoon brought heavy rains to China last week. Picture: Libby Hogan/AFP

The escaped crocodiles are believed to be freshwater Siamese crocodiles, which can grow up to 3m long, according to The Washington Post.

Crocodiles are bred in China for their skin as well as their meat, which is sometimes used in traditional medicine.

The stricken area is also home to a “crocodile theme park” and “the country’s largest crocodile breeding base”, according to CNR.

“Crocs are bloodthirsty animals — they’d definitely bite people,” wrote one concerned user on the Weibo social media platform.

“Don’t worry, they’ll leave you alone once they’ve eaten you,” another joked.