Heat waves kill thousands of fish in Australia

ISTANBUL

The ongoing heatwave in Australia’s far west state of New South Wales has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of fish, local media reported on Wednesday.

Most of the dead fish, found at Sunset Strip on the banks of Lake Menindee, were native bony bream, along with some carp, ABC News reported.

The die-off followed last week’s record-breaking temperatures that peaked near 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), before a sudden drop in heat.

Local resident Darryn Clifton discovered the mass of dead fish while heading out to fish on Monday.

"I was shocked -- but given the temperatures, the bony bream are the first to suffer," he said.

The Barkandji River Rangers, who monitor the lakes, confirmed that hundreds of dead fish had already been removed from nearby waterways.

Officials say the extreme heat was the main cause of the die-off.

Australia is increasingly feeling the impacts of climate change, with rising threats from bushfires and extreme weather events that endanger lives, homes, the economy, and the environment, according to a NSW government report.

In a latest report, the World Economic Forum warned that rising sea levels could threaten 1.5 million Australians by 2050, with extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods, and bushfires putting the entire nation at risk.