Road closed due to flood water of the Murray River on the Victorian New South Wales boarder Australia

Floods in Australia; Australian crocodile.Credit : 

Alamy

Police in Australia are warning residents that crocodiles are “absolutely everywhere” after heavy rains caused major flooding in parts of the Northern Territory.

“There are crocs absolutely everywhere,” Shaun Gill, a Northern Territory police incident controller, told reporters on Sunday, March 8, as seen in videos shared to social media. “Please don’t go in the water, the message is quite clear. Don’t swim in the water for two reasons: it’s a fast-flowing river, and also, this is where crocs are most active, so please stay out of the water.”

“Be croc-wise. Don’t cross any water if you don’t know what it’s like. Now is the time for restraint, in simple terms,” Gill continued. “Our number one priority right here and right now is saving lives and preservation of lives, so please just exercise restraint, and we will do what we have to do.”

The Northern Territory is home to the world’s largest population of saltwater crocodiles, with more than 100,000 of the reptiles lurking in Australian rivers and wetlands.

Kyabram, Victoria, Australia. 2nd March 2026, McEwan Rd Kyabram Victoria, traffic negotiating a flooded section of road after heavy rains.

Flooding in Australia.P.J.Hickox/Alamy Live News

Since the height of the floods, more than 1,000 residents have been evacuated from affected areas.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  

Joanna Holden, mayor of Katherine, a town hit hard by the flooding, told 7News’ Sunrise that crocodiles “seem to be everywhere at the moment,” going on to note that even her own family saw one camping on her mother’s riverbank property over the weekend.

“I’m not sure we can impound them,” she joked of the sheer number of reptiles in the waters. “I have not seen this many crocodiles in the floodwaters around Katherine before. It is concerning.”

“People really need to be careful and stay away from flooded waters,” Holden continued, warning that the water may also contain contaminants and other hidden dangers. “Don’t go near it.”

The mayor also discouraged residents from going “anywhere near” a crocodile should they come across one.

“Please don’t try to catch it, contain it, or go anywhere near it,” she said. “They are obviously being displaced at the moment, and they are obviously not going to be particularly happy about having people approach them.”