A 60-year-old woman from Dengwei Village, Yunbiao Town, Hengzhou City, Guangxi, died after being bitten by a highly venomous cobra during severe flooding on July 6. The woman, Lu Cuilian, was at home when floodwaters from the breached Liulan Reservoir swept snakes from a nearby breeding farm into her residence. Her husband, Mr. Wei, was swept over 100 meters by the flood but survived by grabbing a tree. Lu was not transported to the hospital until the afternoon of July 7 due to disrupted roads and signals, and was pronounced dead at 6:31 PM that day.

The family has since filed a lawsuit against the snake farm operator, Li, after investigations revealed the facility operated without a wildlife domestication and breeding permit. On September 11, the Hengzhou Natural Resources Bureau confirmed the farm was illegally constructed in a concealed location behind the village commercial street, adjacent to residential areas, with no legal registration on file. Despite the findings, Li denies responsibility, claiming there is no evidence the fatal snake came from his farm. During mediation attempts, Li offered only 20,000 yuan in "humanitarian" compensation, which the family rejected.

Investigation and Aftermath

The flood disaster on July 6 followed days of heavy rain from a typhoon, causing a breach in the Liulan Reservoir dam. Local villagers reported that between 800 and 900 snakes escaped from the farm, mostly non-venomous water snakes, though cobras were among them. A volunteer snake-catching team was formed by residents from nearby unaffected villages to safely capture the escaped reptiles. The Hengzhou Emergency Management Bureau has issued 10,000 yuan in bereavement payments to the family, while the local government has pledged to continue facilitating communication between both parties.

The natural resources bureau stated that the farm was ordered to rectify its operations and has since been dismantled. The case was previously referred to public security authorities, but investigators declined to file a case due to insufficient evidence directly linking the fatal snake to Li's farm.

Family Seeks Justice

The victim's daughter, Ms. Wei, confirmed that the family submitted the lawsuit to the court on September 14. "We deeply mourn this life, but there has been no proper resolution yet," she said, emphasizing the family's determination to pursue a fair outcome. Lu was expecting her first grandchild in late August and had been preparing to travel to Guangdong to care for the baby. She had been saving eggs and prepared chickens to send to her daughter-in-law, reflecting her anticipation of the new life.

The family expressed profound grief over the sudden loss, noting that Lu had only recently begun receiving a monthly pension after her children paid supplementary endowment insurance for her. "She worked her entire life for this family without enjoying a single day of comfort," Ms. Wei said, adding that the traumatic memory of her mother witnessing her father being swept away before being fatally bitten remains an indelible shadow for the family.