In Queensland, Australia, thousands of dead and live rats have washed up on the beaches, overwhelming the locals.

The state has been struggling for months with a mouse and rat infestation.

Residents of Karumba, a town on the Gulf, like fishing off the beach, but it's becoming harder since there are dead rats in the water.

Commercial fisherman Brett Fallon remarked, "When the moon came over the town last night, the river was well and truly alive with the bodies of rats." 

He said that "at least 100 rats a night" were infesting his yacht.

Thousands of dead rats washed up on the shoreline of the little seaside town, as shown in footage captured by locals and visitors.

Owner of a fishing charter Jemma Probert stated, "They swim out to the sandbanks at low tide and when the water comes up, they drown and their bodies are washed back onto the beach."

Owner of a fishing charter Jemma Probert stated, "They swim out to the sandbanks at low tide and when the water comes up, they drown and their bodies are washed back onto the beach."

She claimed that when rats tried to get into her boats, she had to fend them off, as reported by ABC news.

She remarked, "We had to keep flicking them off."

Broad consequences

Commercial fishermen in the area were concerned about the rats, according to Mr. Fallon, who stated that "millions of dollars worth of equipment and electrical systems on these vessels are at risk."

According to him, the rats clambered up the anchor chains of boats that were tied offshore.

The rats were gnawing their way through the settlement on land.

"At first it was just a few down on the beach, but now they're all over the community … we had about eight in our yard last night that the dogs got," Ms Probert stated.

An outbreak of native long-haired rats, which had been plaguing regions of outback Queensland since before June, has now claimed Karumba as its latest victim.

In one social media video, dead rats are stacked up beside the river, while flies and other insects are flying all around them. Many of them may be seen drifting in the river in another video.

A plentiful harvest combined with perfect rainy weather for mating has resulted in a spike in the rat population.

Some people think that Queensland's worst is still to come, since more rain is predicted.

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