Fishermen in Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province, north-central Vietnam are expressing concern after two small whales were found dead on local beaches within two days.

The strandings, which occurred in Bao Ninh and Nhat Le, have prompted traditional burial rites and calls for an investigation into possible environmental or human-related causes.

On Wednesday morning, a dead whale was discovered along the shore of Bao Ninh Commune.

Locals held a burial ceremony and interred the animal at Sa Hai Tu Temple, a site traditionally used to honor sea creatures believed to protect fishermen and sailors.

The discovery followed a similar incident on Tuesday afternoon, when a whale measuring approximately 1.1 meters in length and weighing about 15 kilograms was found washing ashore in Hai Thanh Ward, along Nhat Le Beach.

Local authorities and fishermen also conducted a ritual and buried the carcass onsite.

The proximity in time and the comparable size of the whales have alarmed the local fishing community.

Fishermen described the situation as highly unusual and urged officials to investigate the strandings.

Le Van Dieu, a longtime fisherman in Bao Ninh, said strandings have occurred in the past, but rarely in such close succession.

He suggested that the two whales may have come from the same pod and that some disturbance at sea could be responsible for their deaths.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause, and local residents are hoping for a prompt investigation to assess whether pollution, shipping activity, or other environmental changes may have played a role.

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