News

Actions

35 tons of dead fish wash ashore in China

35 tons of dead fish wash ashore in China
Posted at 3:11 PM, May 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-07 19:58:27-04

Thousands of dead fish washed up on the shore of a lake in China, causing a massive headache for the southern port city of Haikou.

 

 

The fish began washing up on shore on Wednesday. By Saturday, more than 35 tons of rotting carcasses had come ashore.

 

 

According to local news reports, a massive tidal surge likely pushed the fish up an estuary and into a pumping system that deposited them into the lake. Officials believe the salt water fish died when entering the fresh water lake.

 

 

It took more than 100 sanitation workers two days to clear the shoreline of the fish. The workers ultimately incinerated the carcasses to prevent them from being sold at local markets.

Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.