PHNOM PENH: (Bernama) Fish and shrimp deaths along rivers in Vietnam and Laos this week have alarmed authorities, with extreme heat conditions and changes in water conditions suspected as possible causes.
Fish and shrimp have been dying in the Lam and Dao rivers in Nghe An province in north-central Vietnam, which borders Laos, according to local news portal Vietnam.vn.
Fishing communities along the Lam River in Anh Son commune discovered large numbers of dead carp, catfish, and tilapia raised in cages and floating rafts on Monday (May 4).
Other fish species and shrimp were also found dead near the riverbanks.
"Local authorities in communes such as Anh Son, Do Luong, and Bach Ngoc communes where the mass fish deaths have beed reported on the Lam River have urged relevant agencies to investigate and determine the cause of the fish deaths,” reported the news portal.
Media reported black carp, grass carp, silver carp, crucian carp, and catfish as among the species found dead along the Lam River, an important river system for fisheries in Vietnam.
Fishing communities estimated that about nine metric tonnes of fish perished in recent days, resulting in massive financial losses.
An initial investigation by Fisheries and Aquaculture Inspection Department of Nghe An province suggested that low dissolved oxygen levels in the water, possibly made worse by toxic gases, may have killed the fish stock.
A similar incident occurred last December along the Cha Va River in Ho Chi Minh City, where mass fish deaths affected cage-farming operations.
Authorities also linked that incident to declining oxygen levels in the water.
Meanwhile, communities in Laos have reported several cases of fish deaths along the Xe Don River in Champasak province since late April, with a second incident reported this week, according to the Laotian Times.
Authorities there linked the deaths to extreme heat associated with El Niño conditions.
However, some villagers suspect river pollution may also be responsible and have called for a thorough investigation.
The Lao government has advised residents not to use water from the Xe Don River or consume dead fish following the incidents.
The broader region that includes Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar has been enduring sweltering heat in recent months, with temperatures in some areas exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
The incidents underscore the growing threat of the climate crisis to aquatic ecosystems, agriculture, and regional food security.
International weather experts have warned that Southeast Asia could face severe El Niño conditions this year, bringing prolonged periods of excessively hot weather and rising environmental stress across the region. - Bernama
