“DONG NAI, Vietnam: “Vietnam Faces Mass Fish Die-Off Amid Southeast Asia Heatwave”, A devastating scene unfolds as hundreds of thousands of fish perish in a reservoir located in southern Vietnam’s Dong Nai province. Locals and media reports point to a combination of a severe heatwave and alleged mismanagement of the lake as the culprits behind this ecological disaster.”
“Southern and Central Vietnam, mirroring much of Southeast Asia, grapple with scorching temperatures amidst a relentless heatwave. Recent closures of schools and a surge in electricity consumption underscore the severity of the blistering conditions plaguing the region.”
“All the fish in the Song May reservoir died due to water scarcity,” revealed a local resident from Trang Bom district, identified only as Nghia, in a statement to AFP.
Pictures vividly depict residents wading and boating through the 300-hectare Song May reservoir, where the water surface is barely visible beneath a blanket of deceased marine life.
Media reports indicate that the region has endured weeks without rainfall, leading to critically low water levels in the reservoir, rendering it inhospitable for the survival of aquatic creatures.
“Nghia stated that reservoir management had previously released water in an attempt to salvage crops downstream,”.”He explained that subsequent efforts involved renovating the reservoir, with the introduction of a pump to remove mud, aimed at creating more space and water for the fish,”
“Despite these efforts, they proved ineffective, and shortly thereafter, a significant number of fish perished. Local media reports indicate that the death toll could amount to as much as two hundred tonnes of fish.”
“Tuoi Tre newspaper reported that the firm overseeing the lake management initiated dredging operations in early 2024, originally intending to augment the reservoir’s water levels to benefit the fish population.”
