In Birmingham, UK, piles of garbage and giant rats have become a familiar sight for locals.
The cause is an ongoing strike by municipal service workers. According to The Independent, residents are being forced to pay substantial amounts to private companies for waste removal, as city services have nearly ground to a halt.
More than 17,000 tonnes of rubbish have already accumulated on the streets.
Cat-sized rats roam freely even during the day, the air is filled with a choking stench, black bin bags are tearing open, and trash is spilling directly onto the sidewalks, the publication reports.
Residents say that it’s impossible to live a normal life under such conditions — the city is descending into complete chaos. Back in late March, media outlets were already reporting a rat infestation in Birmingham. At the time, it was said that the strikes by waste collectors and garbage truck drivers, which began in January, were the cause of the crisis. The protestors are demanding higher wages and an end to job cuts.
