KOCHI: After floods, the victims who are back in their homes to rebuild it are encountering threats to their lives from snakes and other poisonous creatures. Already 53 snake bites have been reported in various parts of Ernakulam with a majority of cases referred to Little Flower Hospital in Angamali.
“We have been attending to snake bite cases right from day one of the flooding. A couple of cases was non-venomous while some were critical. We have enough stock of anti-venom vials as of now. If the number of cases goes up, we need to bring more vials from Hyderabad,” said a spokesperson of Little Flower Hospital.
Snakes are common after floods because gushing waters has pushed them out of their usual habitat. “Now people returning homes to clean it are going to find snakes everywhere. You need to expect something underneath everything before lifting or moving it,” said Snake Wild Animal Rescue Association (SWARA) founder Rahman Uppoddan.
Officers of District Medical Office (DMO) said they have enough stock of anti-venom vials and have send 50 vials each to all taluk and general hospitals in the district for treating snake bites. Though there are different kinds of venomous snakes in Kerala, experts say the most common poisonous snakes after the floods are cobra, common krait and viper.
SWARA has alerted all rescue team members in Kerala to offer service to people seeking help. “We have 70 rescuers in our association spread across different parts of the state. In case of an emergency, a rescuer close to the location will offer support,” said Uppoddan.
What to do while cleaning the house
Only enter the house in daylight and also carry a torch
Carry a long stick to move all items with it
If there is mud on the floor, watch each step as you will not be able to see the snake covered in mud
Closely check all corners and cramped areas where snakes could possibly hide
Do not touch any items with hands mainly furniture and kitchen utensils as snakes prefer to hide under the vessels and furniture
What to do if you spot a snake
Do not try to harm the snake
Maintain a safe distance. Move out of the room and call the rescue team (9447133366)
It’s not recommended to pour kerosene or diesel on the snake if it’s inside the house
If you want to catch it, place the open end (the other end closed with an end cap) of a 1 inch or 1.5 inch diameter pipe which is 1. 5 metres long in front of its head and tap a stick on the tail. Snake have a tendency to slither into holes. It will enter the pipe.