SNAKES WARNING: As waters rise, beware of reptiles

Hurricanes bring strong winds, heavy rains and flooding.

As if that weren’t enough for residents of the Carolinas weathering Tropical Storm Florence, there is another concern: Snakes.

Thad Bowman, of Alligator Adventure in Myrtle Beach, said the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Florence since it made landfall as a hurricane Friday could displace reptiles from their waterway habitats.

Bowman said that if you are bitten by a snake, get to a hospital quickly.

While that might be difficult in the aftermath of Florence, Gerald O’Malley, of the Grand Strand Hospital, said a snakebite needs immediate attention.

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"They inject venom, which causes tissue destruction, platelet loss, causes bleeding, (and) it can cause death," O'Malley told the Sun newspaper of Myrtle Beach in July.

Snakes are plentiful in Horry County, South Carolina, including the venomous copperhead and cottonmouth.

Alligators could be moving through the area, too. One was filmed skittering across a road and yard in Myrtle Beach.

Cox Media Group