Footage on July 7 shows villagers wading through a submerged field, using fishing nets to catch snakes. A cobra is seen emerging from floodwater before residents continue searching the flooded area and recovering live snakes.
Villagers in southern China join rescue workers in searching for hundreds of escaped snakes July 7, 2026. Video by Viory
Local authorities said an estimated 800 to 900 reptiles, including venomous cobras, escaped when the farm in Hengzhou was inundated on Monday morning. One villager has been bitten and is receiving emergency treatment.
According to local media, floodwaters breached the Liulan and Yunbiao reservoirs, inundating low-lying communities and washing away several small-scale snake farms. Authorities deployed emergency teams to capture the escaped reptiles and warned residents to avoid flooded areas while recovery operations continue.
The incident comes as Typhoon Maysak lashed China with torrential rain, triggering flooding in parts of southern China and prompting evacuations and emergency responses across Guangxi.