Chinese Authorities Utilize Advanced Sonar Technology to Monitor 75 Escaped Crocodiles in Submerged Urban Area

• Dozens of crocodiles escaped in Maoming, China, during heavy rain and flooding.
• Authorities are using sonar equipment to track down the escaped crocodiles and advising residents to stay indoors.
• Local paramilitary forces have been instructed to eliminate any spotted crocodiles.

Residents of Maoming, China, are facing an unexpected consequence of severe storms that caused flooding in the area over the weekend. As a result of the heavy rain, 75 crocodiles, consisting of 69 adults and 6 juveniles, escaped from a nearby commercial crocodile farm, according to NBC News.

The excessive rainfall caused a lake to overflow, submerging some parts of the city in over 3 feet of water. Consequently, these crocodiles have been spotted wandering through the flooded streets, creating a perilous situation for residents (The Washington Post).

Efforts are now underway to locate and capture the escaped crocodiles, with authorities utilizing underwater sonar detection equipment (CNN). Due to the challenging conditions of the flooded area and the large number of roaming crocodiles, residents are strongly advised to stay indoors to ensure their safety (CNN).

An anonymous emergency response official informed The Washington Post that although several crocodiles have already been recaptured, there could still be more than 50 remaining at large. The exact whereabouts of these crocodiles remains uncertain at this time.

As of Tuesday morning, there have been no reports of human casualties. However, the local paramilitary has been authorized to eliminate any crocodiles that emerge from the water (The Post/Southern Metropolis Daily).