Guangxi zoo confirms pandas safe after flooding sparks public concern

Two giant pandas at Liuzhou Zoo in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region are safe and in good condition after online videos showing flooded areas inside the zoo sparked public concern, the zoo said on Wednesday.

In a statement posted on its official WeChat account, the zoo said the footage showed flooding at the Parrot Tribe exhibition area, not the giant panda enclosure. The flooding occurred on Monday after heavy rainfall brought by Typhoon Maysak.

The zoo said drainage, mud clearance, and disinfection at the affected area were completed by 6 pm on Monday, with no animal deaths or injuries reported.

Some water also accumulated in the dry moat of the pandas' outdoor enclosure because of low-lying terrain, but the indoor facilities, where the pandas spend most of the summer, were unaffected as they are located on higher ground and served by an independent drainage system.

The zoo said Shulin and Mingbang were neither frightened nor injured, and that they continued to eat, move, and behave normally. Water in the outdoor enclosure was pumped out by around 10 am on Tuesday before the area was disinfected.

The zoo said it has inspected and repaired drainage systems across the park and will strengthen emergency preparedness during future extreme weather.