The New South Wales state government reported that «millions» of fish have died in the Darling River near the village of Menidi, and that this is the third time since 2018 that such an event has been observed in the area.
Videos posted on social media show boats sailing through a thick layer of dead fish floating on the water, making the water's surface almost invisible.
«It’s truly horrific; there are dead fish as far as the eye can see,» Graeme MacRae, a resident of Menidi, told Agence France-Presse, citing «incalculable» environmental consequences.
According to the local government, fish populations in the river had increased significantly following the recent floods, but the waters have since receded.
«The death of these fish is linked to low oxygen levels in the water (hypoxia) as floodwaters recede,» the local government explained in a statement, adding that the heat wave is exacerbating this phenomenon.
Previous mass fish deaths in Menidi had already been attributed to a drop in the river's water level, as well as to the spread of toxic algae over a stretch of nearly 40 kilometers.
Menidi, a village of 500 residents, has been severely affected by floods and drought in recent years.
