Since there is so much flooding, will the alligators leave the lagoons and be loose on the flooded streets?

Local alligator expert Joe Maffo said he has seen it before.

Alligators may be washed out of their homes and into flooded areas usually populated by people, he said.

After the water starts to recede, though, they will “absolutely” start to head back to their homes. This flooding won’t harm the alligators, but it might confuse them a bit.

If you spot a gator in your flooded yard, react just the same as you normally would, he said. That is, remain calm.

Typically, when there is a complaint of an alligator nuisance, residents would be instructed to call the Charleston branch of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources at 843-953-9856 or go to www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/gatorc.html.

But DNR probably won’t be able to respond to alligator calls right now, DNR representative Dean Harrigal said on Sunday morning.

“Just back away and go inside” if you see a gator in your yard or in an unusual place. He said to leave them alone and they’ll move along.

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This story was originally published October 9, 2016 at 9:57 AM with the headline "Since there is so much flooding, will the alligators leave the lagoons and be loose on the flooded streets?."