In a tragic incident in central Indonesia, a woman has been discovered dead inside the belly of a snake after being swallowed whole. The incident, which occurred in Kalempang village in South Sulawesi province, marks at least the fifth reported case of a person being devoured by a python in the country since 2017.

The victim, identified as 45-year-old Farida, had gone missing on Thursday night and failed to return home, prompting a search effort by her husband and concerned villagers. Farida's husband became suspicious after finding her belongings and, with the help of others, searched the area. Their search led them to a five-meter-long reticulated python with a distended belly, confirming their fears.

Without hesitation, the villagers decided to cut open the python's stomach and were met with the heartbreaking sight of Farida's head inside. Shockingly, she was found fully clothed within the reptile.

Footage captured by TMZ and the Daily Mail depicted the distressing scene, with the snake being sliced open in a wooded area, and Farida's body being carried past grieving villagers in a blanket.

Reticulated pythons, known for their aggressive nature, use their sharp curved teeth to grab onto their prey before suffocating them and swallowing them whole. These snakes are widespread in Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia, where they are known to consume monkeys, pigs, and other mammals.

While reports of humans being killed by pythons are extremely rare, a concerning number of incidents have occurred in Indonesia over the past few years. In 2022 alone, two separate incidents involving the swallowing of human victims by pythons were reported, one in Jambi province and another in Southeast Sulawesi's Muna town.

In previous years, similar incidents occurred in Southeast Sulawesi's Tinanggea district and West Sulawesi, where farmers were attacked and eaten alive by large pythons. These incidents highlight the danger posed by these formidable reptiles.

The reticulated python, considered the longest snake species in the world, can reach lengths exceeding 20 feet. In fact, the longest reticulated python ever found in the wild measured nearly 33 feet in length, making it longer than a giraffe is tall.

While the reticulated python is occasionally kept as a pet in the United States, they have a reputation for aggression, as noted by Zoo Atlanta, which houses several of these snakes. Past cases in the US, such as the discovery of a dead 14-foot-long reticulated python on Long Island in 2021, have raised concerns about the responsible ownership of these creatures.

The incident in Indonesia serves as a tragic reminder of the risks associated with encounters between humans and large pythons. Authorities and wildlife organizations continue to urge caution and awareness when interacting with these powerful predators.