WATCH: Alligators in sewers not a myth after one found in Oviedo, Florida, confirming urban legend

In a startling revelation, Oviedo, Florida, city workers have validated the long-standing urban legend of "alligators in the sewer" by stumbling upon a 5-foot alligator during a routine pothole inspection. 

The jaw-dropping footage, now creating a buzz on social media, has propelled the myth into a Sunshine State reality.

The encounter occurred as a public works team dispatched a robot equipped with a camera to investigate the recurring appearance of craters on the road above. To their surprise, the robot's camera captured the eerie scene of a 5-foot alligator lurking beneath the surface of the sludge-filled pipe.

City officials, acknowledging the discovery's unique nature, shared the video on the City of Oviedo City Administration Facebook page, cautioning against venturing into stormwater pipes. The spokesperson humorously remarked, "Just another reason not to go wandering down into the stormwater pipes!" The workers initially mistook the cold-blooded resident for a toad until they noticed the distinctive gleaming eyes.

The video footage, reminiscent of scenes from horror movies, depicts the camera approaching two shining lights at the tunnel's end, eventually revealing the lurking American alligator when it rears up with its mouth open. The footage captures the perturbed predator backing away and eventually retreating down the tunnel.

While such alligator sightings are claimed to be common in the storm runoff network of Florida, the discovery echoes a plot point from the 2019 thriller "Crawl," where killer gators nest in storm drains. Intriguingly, this Florida phenomenon has historical echoes in New York, linking back to the enduring urban myth of alligators in city sewers.

Social media has been abuzz with reactions, with viewers expressing astonishment and drawing parallels to fictional sewer-dwelling characters like "Killer Croc" from the Batman franchise. The incident prompts questions about how alligators infiltrate the intricate drainage system, with city officials speculating that it might have entered through one of the stormwater ponds used to prevent flooding during storms.

Despite the sensational nature of the discovery, city officials are relieved that it was a robot and not a human that encountered the underground reptile. This incident adds a new chapter to the urban lore, blurring the lines between myth and reality in the unexpected locales beneath our feet.