​Numerous dead fish float in Hanoi’s largest lake

A large number of fish were found dead floating in Hanoi’s largest natural freshwater lake on Monday for unknown causes.

The mass fish deaths appeared to begin on Sunday night and rapidly increased in number by Monday morning at Ho Tay (West Lake), next to downtown Hanoi, according to Nguyen Anh Tuan, deputy head of the lake’s management.

The fish, most of them small, washed ashore, giving off an overpowering extensive decomposition odor.

They formed a large patch covering a 200-meter portion of the lakeshore.

The dead fish were put in multiple bags to be transported to an urban dump.

Tuan said a recent sudden weather change was probably to blame and officials are discussing the case.

Dead fish float in Ho Tay (West Lake) in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Workers place dead fish into a bag at Ho Tay (West Lake) in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

This is not the first time mass fish deaths have unfolded at Ho Tay.

In 2016, over 200 metric tons of fish was found, requiring a 1,000-strong task force to remove them.

At the time of the discovery, the oxygen and ammonia contents at the surface layer respectively measured zero and 24 times the allowed level, according to Hanoi chairman Nguyen Duc Chung.

Several local residents said they had seen fish deaths in the lake, but a death of such a considerable proportion was unprecedented.

Workers remove dead fish from Ho Tay (West Lake) in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Dead fish float in Ho Tay (West Lake) in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A bloated fish is seen in Ho Tay (West Lake) in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 9, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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