A long stretch of river in Australia is facing severe pollution as millions of fish have been found dead floating in the water over the past few days. The decaying fish are creating an unbearable stench in the surrounding area.
Millions of dead fish on the Darling Baaka River. (Photo: Chris O’Keefe).
The Darling Baaka River, which flows through the town of Menindee, approximately 1,200 km from Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, is severely polluted due to millions of fish that have died and are floating on the surface in recent days. Not only are the fish densely floating on the water, but the smell of decaying fish has also made life extremely uncomfortable for the residents of this town.
This is not the first time this area has witnessed mass fish deaths in the river; similar incidents occurred in February this year and in 2019, but this time the estimated number of fish deaths is significantly higher.
The mass fish deaths in the Darling Baaka River are happening in New South Wales as the state is experiencing a heatwave, with temperatures reaching up to 41 degrees Celsius today (March 18).
According to experts, the cause of this situation is due to a sudden change in temperature.
Previously, the Darling Baaka River had experienced flooding, but as the water receded and temperatures rose, the oxygen levels in the water dropped, leading to oxygen deprivation for the fish. This situation could worsen in the coming days as the decomposition of the fish in the river further reduces oxygen levels.
In light of this reality, Australian authorities have stated that they cannot intervene yet, as it may spread the pollution further. The only option at this moment is to wait until the right opportunity for intervention arises.
