Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà yesterday asked relevant units to determine the reason for mass fish deaths in central coastal provinces, especially Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình and Quảng Trị provinces.— Photo vietnamnet.vn

HÀ NỘI — Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà yesterday asked relevant units to determine the reason for mass fish deaths in central coastal provinces, especially Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình and Quảng Trị provinces.

Speaking at an urgent meeting with relevant agencies, Hoàng Dương Tùng, Deputy Head of Environment General Department, said the department sent a working group to these localities to take water samples.

“We’re co-ordinating with local authorities to identify the causes. When specific reasons haven’t been confirmed and determined, we hope local residents will stay calm and avoid panic,” Tùng said.

A few days ago, residents in coastal areas in the central provinces of Thừa Thiên – Huế and Quảng Bình reported an unusual number of dying or dead fish near the shore.

Residents living near Lăng Cô Beach in Thừa Thiên – Huế Province each day caught around 10 kilograms of batoids, which were close to death.

Võ Tuấn Nhân, deputy minister of the ministry, said there could be many reasons for the incidents.

Hoàng Dương Tùng from the Environment General Department, said the fish deaths might be caused by diseases or polluted water.

Local’s report

Meanwhile, a report released by Quảng Bình Province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) said toxic substances in water were the cause of mass fish deaths in the locality in the past week.

Local authorities asked relevant ministries to determine the cause of the pollution and what substances killed the fish, according to Trần Đình Du, vice-director of DARD.

Fish farmers were advised not to use raise fish in their ponds and lakes until the deaths stopped, he said.

The deaths, which were noticed a week ago, have alarmed locals, with concerns growing when an eight-year-old girl in Quảng Trạch District’s Quảng Phú Commune yesterday presented symptoms of food poisoning, including vomiting, headache and diarrhea, after eating dead fish found on the beach.

Earlier this month, several fish in floating cages near the Vũng Áng industrial zones in the central province of Hà Tĩnh died because of polluted water. — VNS