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In southern Vietnam's Dong Nai province, a tragic incident has unfolded, with hundreds of thousands of fish perishing in the Song May reservoir. Local residents and media reports are pointing fingers at a brutal heatwave and alleged mismanagement of the reservoir as the culprits.
The scorching heatwave that has engulfed much of Southeast Asia, forcing early school closures and spiking electricity usage, has hit southern and central Vietnam particularly hard. As a result, the Song May reservoir, spanning 300 hectares, has become a graveyard for marine life, with the water barely visible under a blanket of dead fish.
A resident of Trang Bom district, known only as Nghia, shared, "Our lives have been completely disrupted over the past 10 days due to the unbearable stench."
Reports indicate that the region has experienced a prolonged dry spell, with no rainfall for weeks, causing water levels in the reservoir to plummet to critical levels. In an attempt to save downstream crops, reservoir management had previously released water. Subsequently, efforts were made to dredge the reservoir to increase water levels and provide more space for the fish. However, these efforts proved futile, leading to the mass death of fish, estimated at up to two hundred tonnes.
According to Tuoi Tre newspaper, the company managing the reservoir began dredging in early 2024 with plans to release extra water into the reservoir for the fish. However, due to the relentless heatwave, the decision was made to release the water downstream, resulting in a drastic drop in water levels within the reservoir and the subsequent death of the fish.
The Song May reservoir serves as a crucial water source for crops in Trang Bom and Vinh Cuu districts of Dong Nai province. Authorities are currently investigating the incident and are working diligently to remove the deceased fish from the reservoir.
In addition to the devastating impact on marine life, the heatwave has shattered temperature records in Dong Nai province, reaching around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in April, surpassing the previous record set in 1998. Neighboring Cambodia is also reeling from the extreme heat, with temperatures expected to soar to 43 degrees Celsius. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has urged schools to consider closing to protect students and teachers from the scorching heat, and officials are on standby for potential water shortages.
Meanwhile, in Thailand, electricity usage has surged to unprecedented levels as temperatures in the northeastern province of Udon Thani exceeded 44 degrees Celsius.