Flash flood kills 45 tonnes of sturgeon in Vietnam's Mang Den

Pham Van Thang, chairman of the commune's administration, said continuous downpours on Tuesday and Wednesday triggered flooding that swept through Dak Tang Hamlet, breaking multiple water supply pipes feeding the sturgeon farms.

The sudden loss of water flow caused oxygen depletion, leading to mass fish deaths within hours.

Initial assessments showed roughly 45 metric tons of sturgeon, most weighing between two and three kilograms each, perished in the incident.

The Dak Tang Sturgeon and Salmon Cooperative was hit hardest, losing around 30 metric tons of fish, worth more than VND5.2 billion (US$198,000).

Another farm owned by Tran Thanh Binh lost about 15 metric tons, valued at VND2.5 billion ($95,000).

Farmers have since repaired the damaged pipes, cleaned the ponds, and resumed the water supply.

As of Thursday afternoon, the situation was under control, with clean-up efforts underway under environmental safety guidelines to prevent water contamination.

"The commune's administration has reported the incident to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment and proposed support measures for affected households," Thang said.

Cold-water fish farming, especially sturgeon and salmon, has grown into a promising local industry in Mang Den thanks to its cool climate and clean freshwater sources.

However, the model remains vulnerable to extreme weather and climate fluctuations.

Local authorities said this was the most severe flash flood in years to hit aquaculture infrastructure in the area, attributing it to unusually intense rainfall, steep terrain, and rapid water flow that concentrated run-off and swept away the supply systems.