Those living in the flood-hit Australian town of Rockhampton have been warned against the risk of saltwater crocodiles, as the swollen Fitzroy River slowly recedes.Torrential rains that trailed tropical cyclone Oswald flooded parts of of Queensland, and as residents of Rockhampton waited for the waters to drain, authorities urged caution.
"The Fitzroy River is a natural habitat for saltwater crocodiles," deputy mayor Tony Williams said. "It's always a danger there. It's something that we need to be mindful of, and [we are] informing the residents not to go into those waters because of those risks that are there with those crocodiles."
Floodwaters have swamped the gardens of about 1,100 houses in the central Queensland town, but officials are expecting much less damage than from epic floods in 2011 when hundreds of homes and businesses were inundated.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
