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Millions of dead fish float in a river near the Australian town

author:Huang Shengyou

Millions of dead fish float in a river near the Australian town

Millions of dead fish float in a river near the Australian town

Millions of dead fish washed up in a river near a small Australian town, a phenomenon that officials in New South Wales said was linked to "heatwave conditions" sweeping across the country.

According to CNN affiliate News 9 in Australia, a large number of dead fish are floating in the Menediti (place name: Menindee) valley near Broken Hill (a city in western New South Wales, Australia).

Millions of dead fish float in a river near the Australian town

According to the NSW Department for Primary Industries (DPI), "abundant" fish, including carp and bony herring, as well as nutrients and organic matter from floodplains, were forced to swim upstream due to the hot weather.

In a statement this week, the agency explained: "As the floodwaters receded, the deaths of these fish were linked to low oxygen levels (hypoxia) in the water. ”

The Ministry of Primary Industries (DPI) said: "This event is continuing because the heat wave ... Further stress continues to be placed on systems that have experienced extreme conditions of massive flooding. ”

The ministry's report added: "The current hot weather in the region has also exacerbated the lack of oxygen, as warm seawater contains less oxygen than cold water, while fish require higher oxygen at warmer temperatures." ”

As climate change worsens and global temperatures continue to rise, heatwaves across Australia are becoming more frequent and intense.

Experts and government agencies have warned that Australia will continue to see a surge in extreme rainfall and heat, as well as more dangerous fires.

Millions of dead fish float in a river near the Australian town

The river in Menindee, New South Wales, is full of dead fish.

According to census data, Menindee is a rural town in the westernmost part of New South Wales with a population of about 500 residents.

Millions of dead fish float in a river near the Australian town

Dead fish sightings were also reported this week in Macquarie Valley, which has both suburbs and national parks.

This is not the first time Menindee residents have witnessed mass fish killings.

Thousands of dead fish were reported in the area in February, and similar incidents occurred in the area in 2019.

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