Crocodiles spotted in parks and roofs in flood-hit Vadodara as river swells. Videos

In the flood-ravaged city of Vadodara, Gujarat residents are facing an unexpected and terrifying challenge—crocodiles invading their neighbourhoods. Following days of relentless rainfall in Gujarat, the Vishwamitri River, which cuts through Vadodara, has swollen beyond its banks, sending the city's residents scrambling for safety. But floodwaters aren't the only threat; crocodiles, some as long as 15 feet, have been spotted in residential areas, parks, and even on the premises of a university.

The flooding of the Vishwamitri River, known to be home to around 300 mugger crocodiles, has forced these reptiles out of their natural habitat and into the city. The situation has grown so dire that one reptile was even seen perched on the roof of a flooded house. Over the past five days, rescue teams have managed to capture 10 crocodiles, according to local officials.

“Two have been released, and eight are still with us. We will release them when the water level of the river decreases,” an official informed the media on Thursday, speaking to ANI.

#WATCH | Vadodara, Gujarat: Forest Department rescues the crocodile seen on the campus of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda pic.twitter.com/joBQjJfAHW
ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2024

The Vishwamitri River reached a peak level of 37 feet, 12 feet above the danger mark, earlier this week. Although the water has receded to 24 feet as of Friday morning, the threat of crocodile encounters remains high. For those living near the river’s banks, such intrusions are nothing new. Every monsoon season, the swollen river pushes these dangerous reptiles into human habitats, a risk that locals have come to dread.

"While the rescue of crocodiles from residential areas near the bank of Vishwamitri river continues throughout the year, the number rises significantly during monsoon," explained Range Forest Officer (RFO) Karansinh Rajput, as reported by PTI. He highlighted that in June, four crocodiles were rescued and returned to the river, but the number surged to 21 in July.

VIDEO | Gujarat Rains: Crocodile spotted at roof of a house as heavy rainfall inundate Akota Stadium area of Vadodara.(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz)#GujaratRains #GujaratFlood pic.twitter.com/FYQitH7eBK Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 29, 2024

Rain-related incidents have claimed at least 28 lives in the state over the past five days and caused widespread destruction of property. So far, more than 50,000 people have been evacuated from flood-hit regions, with security forces employing helicopters in some instances to move people to safety.

(With inputs from Agencies)