QUẢNG NGÃI — Fish have died en mass in Bình Thạnh Commune because farmers were forced to move their raising cages to avoid typhoon, causing a sudden and fatal shock.

The reason for the mass death was revealed by Bình Sơn District in the central province of Quảng Ngãi on Tuesday.

Tests on water and fish samples showed that the water was not polluted and the fish did not have any diseases, leaving the move as the probable cause.

Nguyễn Tường Chuẩn, deputy head of Bình Sơn District’s Division of Natural Resources and Environment, said the water samples were taken about 400m from the raising cages.

In a meeting with local authorities on Tuesday, residents said they hoped to receive support while they recover.

Deputy Chairman of Bình Sơn District People’s Committee Lý Thọ said Bình Thạnh Commune is an industrial development zone, so raising seafood is banned there. Although local authorities have repeatedly warned farmers, many persisted because they could not find other stable sources of income.

The committee agreed to set up a plan to support the farmers after their losses.

Hà Thị Anh Thư, secretary of the district party committee, said the district had started a new project to create jobs for residents. The project has been submitted to Quảng Ngãi Province’s People’s Committee.

Nearly 700 cages of fish died between October 5 and October 9 in Bình Thạnh, Bình Đông and Bình Thuận communes in Bình Sơn District. The fish were five to eight months old. Losses were estimated at billions of đồng (VNĐ1 billion equals US$43,400). — VNS