Fish are dying en masse in the Nhue River and the lakes of Hoan Kiem, Linh Dam, Dinh Cong, and the West Lake, causing terrible smells and causing concern for local residents.

Dead fish on the bank of Nhue River.

The incident has been happening in Nhue River for four days. Dead fish covers up to a kilometer of the river banks, the section crossing Mo Lao and Yet Kieu wards, Ha Dong city.

The dead fish is an exotic species, which was imported into Vietnam by ornamental fish traders. This species of fish is often used to clean up ornamental fish tanks, but it has escaped from tanks into the environment. This omnivorous species of fish is very strong.

A woman who lives on the bank of the Nhue River, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Sen, on Thanh Binh Street, Ha Dong city, said she had never seen so many dead fish as she has this year. Previously, there was dead river fish on Nhue River, but not this strong species of fish.

Fish also die in abundance in many lakes in Hanoi, such as Linh Dam, Dinh Cong and Me Tri. Local residents are very worried about the phenomenon.

In Ha Dong, the Nhue River’s water has turned black with scum. “Perhaps this is oil scum discharged from factories located in the riverhead,” Sen guessed.

Dr. Ha Dinh Duc, from the Vietnam Nature and Environment Protection Association, said fish die because of pollution or the sudden change of the water environment.

“Scum on Nhue River shows alarming pollution. Fish died in Nhue River and some lakes recently because of this,” Duc said.

The Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Dang Binh said fish have been dying recently due to dead water, which lacks oxygen. However, tests will be conducted to define the reason.

“We are working together with local authorities to quickly solve the problem,” Binh said.

VietNamNet/DV