Authorities Track Down Crocodiles in Upper Egypt’s Canals

 A Siamese crocodile roams at a wildelife-rescue center in the village of Phnom Tamao south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Heng Sinith/AP/File.
A Siamese crocodile roams at a wildelife-rescue center in the village of Phnom Tamao south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Heng Sinith/AP/File.
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Authorities Track Down Crocodiles in Upper Egypt’s Canals

 A Siamese crocodile roams at a wildelife-rescue center in the village of Phnom Tamao south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Heng Sinith/AP/File.
A Siamese crocodile roams at a wildelife-rescue center in the village of Phnom Tamao south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Heng Sinith/AP/File.

Residents of a small village in Sohag governorate, 500 km south of Cairo, have been terrified after seeing crocodiles swimming in water canals near their homes.

The Security Directorate of Sohag announced Tuesday that it had received an official report from a resident in the Akhmim center, saying he saw “two crocodiles standing in front of a canal passing near his house."

He called on security services to take the necessary measures to help him and the village residents.

According to an official statement, the water police and security officials surveyed the area. Dense river grass prevented a clear detection, which called for a specialized department to protect the Nile in the province and to ensure safety of the area.

The Egyptian prosecution is investigating the incident. By Tuesday, local authorities had not announced catching any crocodiles.



1 Killed and 19 Injured as Hot Air Balloons Crash in Central Türkiye

Sight-seeing hot air balloons launch in Göreme Historical National Park in the Cappadocia region, Nevsehir, central Türkiye, Aug. 24, 2022. (AFP)
Sight-seeing hot air balloons launch in Göreme Historical National Park in the Cappadocia region, Nevsehir, central Türkiye, Aug. 24, 2022. (AFP)
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1 Killed and 19 Injured as Hot Air Balloons Crash in Central Türkiye

Sight-seeing hot air balloons launch in Göreme Historical National Park in the Cappadocia region, Nevsehir, central Türkiye, Aug. 24, 2022. (AFP)
Sight-seeing hot air balloons launch in Göreme Historical National Park in the Cappadocia region, Nevsehir, central Türkiye, Aug. 24, 2022. (AFP)

Two hot air balloons crashed in central Türkiye on Sunday, leaving one person dead and 19 injured, according to local media reports.

The accident occurred near the Ihlara Valley in Aksaray province, the private Ilhas News Agency and other outlets said. It was not immediately clear why the hot air balloons crashed.

Hot air ballooning is a popular tourist activity over the rugged landscape of central Türkiye, which is dotted with ancient churches hewn into cliff faces. The attractions include the “fairy chimneys” of Cappadocia, tall, cone-shaped rock formations created by natural erosion over thousands of years that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Video from Ilhas showed one deflated balloon, its passenger basket lying on its side, as emergency services tended to injured people.