A 46-year-old woman, Nurhawati Zihura, tragically lost her life in a crocodile attack on December 17 in Sumatra, Indonesia. The incident occurred when she went to a coastal waterbody to wash her feet, only to be ambushed by the predator, which dragged her underwater in a deadly “death roll.”
Local resident Agustinus, 40, described the horrifying scene: “We shouted, but the crocodile wouldn’t release her. It was worse than any nightmare — her blood spilled into the water.”
Nearly an hour later, the crocodile resurfaced with Nurhawati’s lifeless body. Locals distracted the animal with chicken pieces to recover her remains before it retreated. Authorities later tracked and killed the crocodile.
Kornelius Wau, a local official, expressed concerns about the recurring danger posed by crocodiles along the coast, where many residents depend on the sea for their livelihoods. He urged the government and conservation agencies to take immediate action to prevent further tragedies.
Indonesia has recorded the world’s highest number of crocodile attacks in the past decade, with over 400 fatalities.
