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- Australian authorities have warned of a “plague” of spiders following the Sydney floods.
- The deadly funnel-web spider is likely to enter homes in search of dry soil.
- The rain caused flooding in the state of New South Wales.
A “plague” of the world’s most poisonous spiders could invade Sydney after torrential rains and flooding, the Australian Reptile Park said Wednesday, warning that deadly arachnids could seek refuge in their homes as they escape the deluge.
READ | Australia ‘catastrophic’ floods lead to helicopter rescues
The incessant downpours have caused major flooding in the state of New South Wales, with parts of suburban Sydney’s northwest still under water.
Residents welcomed sunlight Wednesday after days of rain, only to receive an “urgent warning” to prepare for an influx of the deadly funnel-web spider, which is endemic to the Sydney region.
“The upcoming warm weather and high humidity levels is the perfect storm for a funnel-web spider BOOM in the coming days,” said park director Tim Faulkner in a statement.
“With the incredible flooding that we have experienced in the greater Sydney area, they have been forced out of their habitat and are seeking refuge in drier areas,” he added.
“Unfortunately, this could mean that they will soon find their way to residential homes.”
State Emergency Service vehicles approach flooded residential areas in western Sydney.
Residents look out over the swollen Nepean River during heavy rains in western Sydney.
Motorists travel along a flooded road near the Warragamba Dam in Sydney.
Fast-acting poison
Images of thousands of spiders escaping the floods have already gone viral on social media in recent days, terrorizing arachnophobics when masses of eight-legged creatures swarmed fences and buildings.
Sydney’s funnel nets are highly feared for their notoriously toxic and fast-acting venom, with 13 reported deaths from bites.
However, no one is believed to have died since an anti-poison program was introduced in the early 1980s.
The Australian Reptile Park, which supplies life-saving antivenom, has encouraged people who “feel safe enough to do so” to catch and deliver wandering funnel web spiders to designated collection facilities.
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