First, it was a WhatsApp message saying that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had stated there would be heavy rainfall and a cyclone on November 21 and 22 in Chennai that caused panic in the city.

That message effectively turned out to be a hoax. Then came the message that more than 40 crocodiles had escaped the Madras Crocodile Bank on East Coast Road that started doing the rounds.

Some local TV channels thought it true and even flashed it as news. This caused panic among the residents in that area who began to expect a crocodile to enter their homes at any minute! But again, it turned out to be a hoax.

Zai Whitaker of the Madras Crocodile Bank tells dna, “We got several calls from the media. Perhaps people are learning, from experience, that not all news is true. The 'crocodiles have escaped' rumour has happened before as well including during the 1985 cyclone. Many media persons came over and it was good to meet several who have been well-wishers of the Crocodile Bank for a long time.”

The security measures in place are quite extensive so it’s really not possible for crocodiles to just crawl out of the bank so easily. “We watch special news portals very carefully every time there's a build-up of weather in the region. Regarding security measures, this would mean writing a small book because there are many things we consider. In brief, there are four major areas here: Pen construction, the height, breadth of walls, the slope of ponds, ratio of land and water, and other factors are important, and the fact that the Crocodile Bank advises and helps other crocodile facilities in India and abroad, means that after 40 years of being in this field, we have cracked it! There is a secure wall all the way around the crocodile farm,” explains Whitaker.

The staff is trained in what to look out for in case of a storm surge or any other natural or human-made disaster as well. “The most difficult one is groups of drunken tourists who start throwing things at the animals, and fight with and abuse our staff when told to stop. Natural disasters are easier to deal with than irresponsible humans,” adds Whitaker.