Residents in parts of southern China are living in fear after severe flooding caused hundreds of snakes to escape from breeding farms and enter nearby villages, creating a dangerous new challenge on top of the ongoing flood disaster.This incident occurred in Hengzhou, which islocated in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China, because of continuous rains associated with Typhoon Maysak, which led to floods inundating large areas of the region. The floodwaters destroyed some snake breeding farms, resulting in the release of approximately 800 to 900 snakes into the villages surrounding the farms.With video footage of snakes swimming in muddy floodwaters circulating through the Chinese social media, emergency responders organized special task forces armed with nets, tongs and stun guns to catch the snakes. People were advised against going near the snakes and to report any sighting of them. Anti-venom stock at hospitals was increased along with setting up special fast-track channels for treatment of snake bite victims. For the locals, however, fear is an everyday experience.A villager interviewed by the local media pointed out that there have been several snake farms were located in areas vulnerable to flooding and thus, allowing the snakes to escape into the villages. People have been warned about the presence of cobras and other escaped farm snakes in the area. Another villager talked about how his mother got bitten by a venomous snake. The woman went into shock but did not get treated immediately due to the fact that flood waters had made roadways impassable to vehicles.The residents also found it scary since the fear of the unknown was one of the scariest things about the disaster. The floodwaters meant that residents could not see what was lying under them and many were therefore scared to venture into the flooded areas. It was also reported that the villagers checked doorways, gardens, and pathways for fear that snakes would lie hidden within the debris.In spite of the warnings by the authorities, the villagers were still caught on video trying to capture the escaped snakes using bamboo sticks. Villagers were continuously warned against capturing the snakes on their own because some of the snakes were venomous and might become hostile in situations of perceived danger. This snake scare has coincided with one of the worst flood disasters in southern China in recent times. The region has received unprecedented rainfall that has affected various towns in Guangxi with casualties running into the dozens, property destruction, evacuation of people from their homes, and destruction of infrastructure. Experts are predicting further rains in the next few days. (Reuters)Though it is common to see displaced snakes following floods, according to experts, what is happening in Hengzhou is unique because the snakes have come out from commercial farms where they were being raised instead of fleeing from the natural ecosystem.