AUSTRALIA’S relentless rodent army has invaded one of the country’s largest prisons and forced the evacuation of hundreds of inmates.
At least 420 prisoners and 200 staff at a prison in New South Wales jail are being moved for their own safety as the country continues to be gripped by the worst mouse plague in decades.
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A plague of mice that has ravaged vast swathes of eastern Australia has forced the evacuation of a prison 11
The evacuation will allow authorities to repair gnawed electrical wiring and clear dead and decaying mice Credit: NSW Farmers
Scores of rampaging mice have gnawed through ceiling panels and wiring at a New South Wales prison, prompting authorities to scale back operations for repairs.
Corrective Services NSW Commissioner Peter Severin said the evacuation would allow Wellington Correctional Centre to be "thoroughly cleaned" and the chewed-up building to be repaired.
He said: "The health, safety and wellbeing of staff and inmates is our number one priority, so it's important for us to act now to carry out the vital remediation work.
"The mice have caused damage to internal wiring and ceiling panels.
"The staff at Wellington have done an incredibly good job in managing the effects of the mice plague, but we need to take this step now.
The mice have caused damage to internal wiring and ceiling panel
Peter Severin, Corrective Services NSW Commissioner
"I thank the team at Wellington for their ongoing commitment to their work during this challenging time."
Custodial Corrections Assistant Commissioner Kevin Corcoran said: "We want to do this overhaul once, and we want it done properly, which means we'll be looking at ways to mitigate the effects of similar plagues in the future."
Millions of mice have caused havoc in the grain-growing region of Australia's most populous state for months, devouring crops and haystacks as well as invading homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and prisons.
The most common complaint about the plague is an ever-present stench of mice urine and decaying flesh.
People report being bitten by mice in bed.
Mouse carcasses and excrement in roof guttering are polluting farmers' water tanks and causing sickness.
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About 200 staff and 420 inmates will be transferred from the Wellington Correctional Centre in rural New South Wales state to other prisons in the region 11
Scores of mice have gnawed through ceiling panels and wiring at a New South Wales prison, prompting authorities to scale back operations for repairs Credit: Cisiro 11
The mice plague situation today as the rodent army rampage across Australia
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Plagues usually happen when rain follows several years of drought.
The current plague is the worst that many can remember in some areas.
Government mouse researcher Steve Henry said mice numbers had begun to plateau as the species always stops breeding during the Southern Hemisphere winter.
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Australian farmers have resorted to putting the legs of their beds and tables in buckets of water to stop mice climbing up Credit: AP 11
Experts say farmers face more than ￡550million in damages to their crops Credit: Facebook / Matt Hansen Real Estate Dubbo 11
Authorities are pushing regulators to approve a toxic substance known to kill mice. It is also dangerous to farm animals Credit: Reuters 11
The rodents have eaten through electrical wires Credit: erin anderson 11
Rats chewing through cables caused this house to catch fire in Narrabri, New South Wales Credit: A Current Affair, 9 Now 11
Rats built this nest under the bonnet of a car Credit: A Current Affair, 9 Now
Australia's 1,000km-wide mouse army turns CANNIBAL as doomsday plague munches everything in sight