Authorities in Nghe An Province, north-central Vietnam are probing into the cause of a mass fish die-off in Bac Stream in Quy Hop District.

An official from the Quy Hop People’s Committee said on Tuesday that a large volume of dead fish had been found floating along the two banks of the stream, which runs across Chau Thanh Commune.

Many residents recounted that fish and shrimp in the stream went belly up on Sunday night.

To investigate the cause of the mass fish deaths, the Quy Hop District administration has formed a dedicated team tasked with conducting on-site surveys and collaborating with other units to test the water in the stream.

Preliminary inspection results indicate that the dead fish were found scattered along the stream.

While the surface of the stream appeared clear, the bottom of the spring appeared to be muddy with light red coloration.

Sanitation workers were asked to remove the dead fish from the stream to clear the flow of water and protect the environment.

Meanwhile, locals were advised not to collect the dead fish and shrimp from the stream to eat or sell.

Chau Thanh Commune is home to several mineral deposits.

In March 2017, a dam containing muddy tin waste collapsed in the commune, causing a spillage of the trash into the stream. As a result, farmed fish died en masse.

The People’s Committee of Quy Hop District dispatched a team to the Nam Ton River in Chau Hong Commune in April to find the reason behind the change of its water color into deep red.

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