Alligators, Snakes, Fire Ants, Sewage, And Other Dangers Lurk In Texas Flood Waters After Hurricane

Rescue workers are treading along under some very dangerous conditions in the flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Just about anyone who owns a boat in the area is now embarking on the grueling task of rescuing hundreds of people stranded in their homes. Many of the homes are flooded on the first floor and the water is rising to the second story.

In the flood water, there could be wildlife, like snakes and fire ants, getting into your home. Alligators are too big to squeeze through the cracks under doors, but they have been seen on front stoops, sidewalks, and driveways in the areas flooded of south Texas.

Fox News has several reporters in the flooded areas from Hurrican Harvey. One woman who stepped off a rescue boat was on crutches and she said she had to tread through water up to her neck to get to a parking lot where boats were picking up those who were stranded. The woman and a friend that joined her saw snakes while in water. The other woman believed she saw an alligator.

When you hear “alligator,” Florida might be that state that comes to mind, but according to Newsweek, 400,000 alligators call Texas home. Alligator catchers are expected to see an “uptick” in business in the days following the receding of Hurricane Harvey’s flood waters.

According to Metro News, alligators have been spotted in driveways, on front stoops, and under cars. They have also been seen in the flood waters that have made deep rivers out of the roads. The sheriff in Fort Bend County, Texas, warns people to stay clear of the gators, as they are confused and the alligators will stay that way until the waters recede. Like people, the alligators are looking for higher ground.

Gators and flooding advice via @txgatorsquad: Expect them to be displaced. Simply looking for higher ground. Leave alone until water recedes pic.twitter.com/nN1B5jvMyV

— FBCSO Texas (@FBCSO) August 24, 2017

The Texas Gator Squad reminds people that gators will be on the move in the flood waters. US105 FM said the social media sites, which are some of the only forms of communication that some folks have, are expected to be offering up stories of snakes coming in with the flood waters.

Getting around for the rescuers is dangerous in so many ways, along with the alligators and snakes, concerns over nests of floating fire ants have emerged. There have already been reports of boats getting in trouble as they attempt to get to those stranded in the flood waters. Some report that they have scraped the bottom of their boats on submerged vehicles.

Flood waters of this magnitude could jar coffins from their burial spots, much like what has been seen in other major flooding events, like after Hurricane Katrina. According to the Daily Mail, you can expect to see gators, snakes, coffins, and sewage become a mixture in the flood waters from Hurricane Harvey. Keeping your family out of the flood water is important because of the deadly wildlife that’s floating in this water. That goes for your pets, too.

https://www.facebook.com/HarrisCountyAnimalShelter/photos/a.1298488520163624.1073741829.188361851176302/1648929205119552/?type=3&permPage=1

Last year, flooding in the outskirts of Houston drove spiders and water moccasins into homes, but this flooding is epic in comparison. One of the bigger concerns today, as the flood waters continue to rise, are for those who have climbed to the top levels of their homes and who may have no way of escape. If people are flooded all the way up to their attic, then those trying to escape the water may not have a way out. They have no way to signal rescuers. This was seen during Hurricane Katrina as well. Fox News reports that is why it is so important for people who live in areas prone to floods to keep an ax in their attic.

According to Houstonia Magazine, it is absolutely imperative to stay on dry land and not to wade in flood waters. The reasons they offer are as follows.

• Not being able to see dangerous debris under the water.
• Getting sacked by a floating manhole cover.
• Not realizing how strong the current is.
• Encountering rogue wildlife like alligators and snakes.
• Realizing you’re also wading in raw sewage.
• Floating fire ant mounds.

If you happen to get the wet fire ants on you it is important to “vigorously rub them off.” Water alone will not get these ants off of you. If this happens while in the house, dishwashing liquid will help drown the ants, so rub this detergent all over the area where the ants are crawling.

Despite some news reporters saying the worst of Hurricane Harvey is over, it’s not, reports Fox News. The waters are still rising and hundreds are still stranded.

[Featured Image by kristabella97/Shutterstock]