Escaped crocodiles in south Chinese city captured

GUANGZHOU, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- All 69 crocodiles that escaped a flooded farm in south China's Guangdong Province have been captured and no crocodile attacks have been reported so far, local authorities said Wednesday.

The crocodiles escaped from a commercial crocodile farm in the city of Maoming after Typhoon Haikui triggered flooding in the area earlier this month. The local government mobilized more than 6,600 people in response to the incident.

By Saturday, 40 crocodiles had been found on the farm, while 29 others had been retrieved from neighboring ponds or flooded fields.

The farm owner told police that 71 Siamese crocodiles, including two juveniles, used to live on the farm. The owner said two crocodiles had died before the escape occurred.

Typhoon Haikui and the monsoon caused torrential rain in many cities and counties in the Pearl River Delta region early this month, resulting in urban flooding, landslides, road closures and other hazardous situations.