Warning people not to bathe in the river near where crocodile images appeared in Can Tho

Photo caption — Image of a crocodile appearing in a resident's garden during high tide. Photo: VNA

Accordingly, the authorities have issued recommendations, asking people living around the area to be vigilant, take precautions, and not let children swim in rivers, canals, and ditches near where crocodiles have appeared.

According to initial information, at around 10am on November 6, Nhon My Commune Police received a report with pictures from a resident of Phung Tuong 2 Hamlet who, while home alone, discovered a crocodile floating on the water surface in the canal leading to the garden ditch. The crocodile was estimated by the residents to be about 1.5m long and weigh 30-40kg. The residents quickly used their phones to take pictures and report to the local authorities. Upon hearing the news of the crocodile's appearance, many people nearby came to see it, but by this time the crocodile had already disappeared.

Immediately after receiving the report, Nhon My Commune Police assigned officers and soldiers to coordinate with security and order protection forces to the scene. The authorities conducted an inspection, carefully examined the images and determined that the images provided by the people were real.

After receiving the information, on November 8, the Department of Rural Development and Forestry of Can Tho City went to the scene to coordinate with local authorities, police, militia and people to conduct inspection and verification. The authorities recorded the statements of the people reporting the discovery of a crocodile. Through inspection and verification at the scene and around the area where the crocodile was said to have appeared, the authorities did not detect the aforementioned crocodile.

The Department of Rural Development and Forestry said that, through monitoring data, in Phung Tuong 2 hamlet, Nhon My commune and neighboring communes and wards, there is no facility registered to breed crocodiles. Currently, in Can Tho city, there are 10 facilities registered to breed freshwater crocodiles with a number of 4,769 individuals, located in Thanh Tri, Gia Hoa, Hoa Tu communes and Khanh Hoa, Vinh Phuoc, Soc Trang wards.

Previously, to ensure safety, on October 30, 2025, the Department of Rural Development and Forestry conducted a field inspection and reminded households that registered to raise ferocious wild animals to regularly check and reinforce their cages to ensure safety, ensuring that the animals could not escape during the rainy and flood season when the river water rose. At the same time, the Department advised the Department of Agriculture and Environment to issue an official dispatch on strengthening coordination and management of some wild animal species.

To strengthen management, the Department of Rural Development and Forestry recommends that the People's Committees of communes and wards where households raise crocodiles and other ferocious wild animals regularly inspect cages to promptly remind and prevent wild animals from escaping; and take measures to capture them when discovered. Do not let children swim in rivers or canals near areas where crocodiles appear. When people discover crocodiles, they need to immediately report to local authorities for timely handling.

The Department of Rural Development and Forestry also requested that newspapers and radio stations, when publishing news articles, need to carefully verify information before reporting, ensuring accuracy and objectivity to avoid causing public confusion.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/canh-bao-nguoi-dan-khong-tam-song-gan-noi-xuat-hien-hinh-anh-ca-sau-o-can-tho-20251111213600935.htm