Swarm of Hornets in Sungei Buloh Sends 5 People to Hospital

A Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve visitor was shocked to see ambulances pulled up outside the Wetland Centre, attending to several injured people.

Everyone knows wild nature can be dangerous, but what got them? Surely it was a ravenous crocodile or a venomous snake.

The perpetrator of the animalistic assault was in fact a large swarm of hornets.

Sungei Buloh Hornets Sting 5, Including a Child

The incident took place on 14 July, as posted on the social media platform XiaoHongShu.

After finishing a trail, the OP found people seated on stools at the Wetland Centre and applying ice packs to their heads.

One of the relatives of those injured claimed that they had been “stung by bees”.

Lianhe Zaobao reported that he claimed those injured did not look like they were from the same group.

He alleged some migrant workers and even a child were among the victims of the swarm.

Eventually, a total of four ambulances arrived at the scene and transported the injured to the hospital.

According to the OP, they were all conscious and alert during that time.

He also said that he had encountered crocodiles and venomous snakes at Sungei Buloh before, yet never heard of anyone being attacked until then.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told Goody Feed that they were informed of the situation at 4:55 pm. They sent one victim, presumably the child, to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

The other four were transported to Woodlands Health Campus.

Run to Shelter if Swarmed by Hornets

Although hornets seem like evil bees, they are actually large wasps that act as an important part of ecosystems by controlling the local insect population.

The NParks advisory describes them as ready to “sting to defend their hives”.

These hives may be built in trees, in shrubs, or even on the ground like a natural landmine.

Some hornets have even moved in with us and built their hives on man-made objects like under roofs.

The best way to deal with a hornet hive is to keep your distance and not trip their figurative intruder alarms.

Unlike bees, hornets do not lose their stingers when they sting you, meaning they can attack again and again.

If stung by hornets, wash the wound with soap and water and apply an ice pack, like those injured in Sungei Buloh did. It’s important to keep an eye on a potential allergic reaction and seek immediate medical attention if that happens.

However, if a swarm of hornets angrily swarms you, it’s best to just cover your head and run like hell away from the hive and towards shelter to disorient them.

Keep in mind not to follow cartoon logic and jump into the water, as the angry hornet army will just wait for you to resurface. Also in Sungei Buloh, this is probably serving yourself on a dinner platter for a crocodile.

Hornet Attack Area Temporarily Closed to Public

The NParks Group Director of Conservation told the Straits Times that NParks has since cordoned the affected area off.

They will survey the location, a migratory bird trail near Platform 1, for any hornet nests.

As hornets are a natural part of the environment, it’s probably best to just keep an eye out for them and remember the prior advisory.

Hornets and wasps can be lethal, having caused the death of a 66-year-old man near Hillview MRT Station through an allergic reaction to their stings.