Mass Fish Death at Vietnam’s Ea Trum Reservoir Leaves Foul Stench

Dead tilapia have covered parts of Ea Trum reservoir in Dak Lak province, leaving a strong stench along the shoreline and especially near the water channel.

Residents in Buon Sut Mgru said the fish began dying in late August, after heavy rains. Many of the fish are as large as an adult’s hand, and carcasses have continued to float across the reservoir for more than a week.

The mass die-off has worried residents because the reservoir supplies irrigation water for about 20 hectares of industrial crops. Ea Trum can hold 300,000 cubic meters of water and serves more than 400 households, with a population of over 1,900.

By the morning of September 7, the decomposing fish had still not been removed. Residents called for authorities to determine the cause, test the water and take steps to protect the environment. Quang Phu commune officials said competent authorities would need to collect samples before identifying the cause. Police and other units were ordered to inspect the area, while a cleanup team was scheduled to remove and treat the carcasses later that day.

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The fish deaths must be examined by competent authorities through sample testing to determine the cause.