Millions of dead and rotting fish have clogged up a vast stretch of river near a remote town in the Australian outback as a searing heatwave sweeps through the region.
Videos posted on social media showed boats ploughing through a blanket of dead fish smothering the water, with the surface barely visible underneath.
On Friday, the New South Wales government said “millions” of fish had died in the Darling River near the small town of Menindee, in the third mass kill to hit the area in the recent past.
The incident follows fish deaths in the same area in 2018 and 2019 where up to a million fish died from poor water flow, poor water quality and sudden temperature changes.
“It’s horrific really, there’s dead fish as far as you can see,” Menindee resident Graeme McCrabb told AFP news agency. “It’s surreal to comprehend,” he said, adding this year’s fish kill appeared to be worse than previous ones.
“The environmental impact is unfathomable.”
Populations of fish such as bony herring and carp had boomed in the river following recent floods, according to the state government, but were now dying off in huge numbers as floodwaters receded.
“These fish deaths are related to low oxygen levels in the water (hypoxia) as flood waters recede,” the state government said in a statement.
“The current hot weather in the region is also exacerbating hypoxia, as warmer water holds less oxygen than cold water, and fish have higher oxygen needs at warmer temperatures.”
Drought blamed
Previous fish kills at Menindee – about 12 hours drive west of Sydney – have been blamed on a lack of water in the river due to prolonged drought, and a toxic algal bloom that stretched more than 40km (24 miles).
“Unfortunately this won’t be the last,” the NSW government had warned in 2019.
State government fisheries spokesman Cameron Lay said it was “confronting” to see the river choked by dead fish.
Menindee has a population of some 500 people and has been ravaged by drought and flooding in recent years.
Jeremiah 17:11
New Living Translation
Jeremiah’s Trust in the Lord
11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs she has not laid,
so are those who get their wealth by unjust means.
At midlife (Psalm 90:10 – Age 70-80 or 75) they will lose their riches;
in the end, they will become poor old fools.
Matthew 22 NKJ
The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not [c]regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
18 But Jesus [d]perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.”
So they brought Him a denarius.
20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”
21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”
And He said to them, “Render[e] therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.
Matthew 17 NKJV
Peter and His Master Pay Their Taxes
24When they had come to [h]Capernaum, those who received the [i]temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”
25He said, “Yes.”
And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”
26Peter said to Him, “From strangers.”
Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a [j]piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
The Tribulation is commencing..
Please repent, carry your cross daily and accept the free gift of Jesus Christ’s Death on the Cross for payment for your sins.
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