Tropical Storm Florence: Snakes alive! As waters rise, beware of reptiles

Scenes From Florence

Hurricanes bring strong winds, heavy rains and flooding.

>> Read more trending news

As if that wasn’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 that has been caused by Tropical Storm Florence since it made landfall as a hurricane on 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.

"They inject venom, which causes tissue destruction, platelet loss, causes bleeding, 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 coppermouth.

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