Australia: Rangers warn of crocodiles in floods

Residents of the Australian state of Queensland are currently suffering from severe flooding. Local rangers are now warning that crocodiles may be in the floodwaters. People should stay away from the water as much as possible.

Brisbane. After the severe flooding in the Australian state of Queensland, residents are now facing a new danger: while the flood waters around Burketown are slowly receding, several crocodiles have been discovered in the brown waters, the Australian news agency AAP reported on Monday.

“A few crocodiles have already been sighted in different areas of the community,” the Australian Guardian quoted a local ranger as saying. “If possible, please stay out of the water to avoid a chance encounter with a crocodile.” According to Mayor Ernie Camp, even bull sharks, which normally live in estuaries, could potentially be swimming in the tides.

Record water level in the region

The flooding in the remote community of Burketown, near the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, is the worst on record, according to the Australian Weather Service. The water level therefore temporarily exceeded the record water level of 6.78 meters, which was measured in March 2011. The outback towns of Doomadgee and Gregory were also affected. It will be a while before the full extent of the damage is clear, Camp stressed.

Earlier this year, a flood of the century left a trail of devastation in the Kimberley region of north-west Australia. Floods and heat records repeatedly occurred in Down Under last year. Australia is particularly suffering from the consequences of climate change.

RND/dpa