Millions of dead fish found floating in an Australian river

Published:

Mar 20, 2023 06:23 GMT

Millions of dead fish washed up on the surface of the Darling River in the town of Menindee, in the Australian state of New South Wales, collect local media this Sunday.

The Australian Department of Primary Industries Indian that the death of the fish was possibly caused by low oxygen levels in the water due to the high temperatures, which reached approximately 40 degrees Celsius. Richard Kingsford, Professor at the University of New South Wales, points that the lack of rain caused by climate change is compounded by the excessive use of water for agriculture, as happened in 2018.

The Menindee Emergency Operations Centre, supervised by the NSW Police, will be tasked with other state agencies to remove and dispose of the dead fish, with the aim of maintaining a clean water supply to the city ​​and its surroundings. “Most importantly, there is ongoing testing of the water quality, which will ensure immediate action if a change of supply is required,” said NSW Emergency Operations Controller Peter Thurtell.