Croc Warning In Queensland City After 2X Monthly Rain Falls In One Day, Flooding Streets - AFP

[hatrack]

Residents of a flooded city in Australia have been warned to beware of crocodiles after the reptiles were sighted in the area, a report said Friday.

People in Mackay on the northeast coast should not wade through the murky floodwaters and those using boats should not dangle legs or arms into the water, an official told the national AAP news agency. "If they become close to a crocodile don't chase it or provoke it because they will lose," said Environmental Protection Agency spokesman Joe Adair.

Mackay was declared a disaster area on Friday after it was deluged with twice its usual monthly rainfall in one day and officials said up to 1,000 people may need to be evacuated. It would not be surprising to see crocodiles moving around the floodwaters, Adair said.

"It's quite likely. I mean it's crocodile habitat up there, as is anywhere in central Queensland north of Gladstone. "Crocodiles are along the coast in the estuary systems and waters all the way through and this time of year they're moving around.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Flooded_Australian_city_warned_of_crocodiles_report_999.html

[depakid]

1. And then there's the snakes... and the spiders

Really nasty ones.





Snakes flee floods

SHANE and his ad hoc team of helpers used two boats to evacuate four people from two homes in the Clare area. One thing that sat them back on their heels a bit was the large number of venomous snakes that had converged on both houses.

The snakes were trying to climb flyscreens and get under doors. As well there were snakes in the water. The rescuers found it all a bit unnerving. It must have been a hell of an ordeal for the people trapped inside, watching all those snakes trying to get in. Snakes being snakes, no doubt some did find a way into the houses.

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/02/19/10732_talknorth.html

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2. WTF is it about Australia & all things venomous & toxic?

Sea snakes, blue-ringed octopi, taipans, funnel web spiders, brown snakes, tiger snakes, box jellyfish, stonefish . . .

Sheesh.

[pscot]

3. Not to mention the deadly platypus

The only egg-laying, venomous, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed, semi-aquatic mammal on earth.

[hatrack]

4. Oh, yeah - I'd forgotten about their venomous claws!

:scared: