Reportedly thousands of snakes have invaded HCM City, sending residents in outer suburbs and the inner-city into a panic as more than a hundred people have reportedly been bitten.
Snake in District 12
The green snakes are being seen in the city Districts 5 and 12, and Go Vap District.
“It’s normal to see wild snakes on the city’s outskirts, but it’s really strange that snakes appear in the city centre,” said a resident in District 5.
Residents near the Cho Cau Bridge in Go Vap District saw snakes a week ago, one of which slithered through a local jewelry shop.
Some reports said snakes were found in shoes at a shoe shop.
Thanh Loc Ward, of District 12, where the most recent snake sightings have been reported, said local residents have killed more than ten snakes and driven away dozens of others over the past two months.
Reports say as many as 150 people have been bitten in the snake invasion, likely to be the result of hot, dry conditions and lack of food, forcing them into populated areas.
The municipal Health Provision Centre said it was still gathering firm data on snake bites, but recommended residents use traditional measures, such as sulfur and local onions to set up a barrier around their homes.
Vo Quang Huy, deputy director of municipal First Aid Centre 115, said anyone bitten should go to the nearest medical station for first aid. The snake venom is not lethal.
Vu Ngoc Long, director of the Southern Ecology Institute, said the snake invasion may be the result of rapid urbanisation destroying their natural habitat.
