Several videos of crocodiles invading residential areas of Vadodara in India’s Gujarat have gone viral on social media.
Following heavy rains in the region, Vishwamitri River overflew as several reptiles entered residential areas with the flood water, Indian media outlets reported.
Crocodiles, some as long as 15 feet, were spotted in various parts of the city, including roads, parks, and outside homes.
A video of one such crocodile went viral on social media after it landed on the roof of a flooded house.
Meanwhile, authorities in Vadodara said that they have captured 10 crocodiles over the last five days, with two already released.
According to an official, the rest of the reptiles will be released once the river’s water level recedes.
A viral video showed a crocodile entering the campus of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda as a group of forest department officials were seen rescuing the reptile.
“Two have been released, and 8 are still with us. We will release them when the water level of the river decreases… Today, we rescued a 14-foot crocodile from a house near Kamnath Mahadev temple, one near the Ratri Bazar and an 11-foot crocodile from the Zoology Department of the MS University,” an official told Indian media outlets.
According to local officials, as many as 32 people lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Gujarat as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast more rain spells in the region.
The local authorities relocated more than 32,000 people from rain-hit areas while around 1,200 people were rescued from flood-affected areas.
Vadodara was among the worst affected cities, according to the authorities. Electricity connections were badly affected, with some 1,000 villages grappling without power.
