LAKE WALES, Fla. (WFLA) — Back-to-back alligator attacks in the Tiger Creek area have prompted authorities to create additional warnings for people visiting the area.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office installed a large “alligator advisory” sign at the creek this week, reading, “Due to alligator attacks, the public is advised to exercise extreme caution.”
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Last week, a woman and her husband were canoeing at the creek, which runs between Tiger Lake and Lake Kissimmee, when officials said an alligator tipped them over. The alligator then attacked and killed the woman, identified as 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema.
Another woman was hospitalized after she was attacked by an alligator while kayaking in the same area only months earlier.
Existing signs in the general area warned visitors of the presence of alligators prior to the two attacks. However, the new signage specifically highlights the recent incidents that have occurred at the creek…