Residents of the New South Wales (NSW) town of Menindee in Australia woke up to a shocking scene on Friday morning: millions of dead fish in their river. The large-scale fish deaths were attributed to an ongoing heatwave that has been affecting the Darling-Baaka river, according to the state’s river authority. The locals said that this is the largest fish death event to hit the town, which had already experienced a significant mass death of fish just three years ago.
In a Facebook post, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) stated that the heatwave has put “further stress on a system that has already experienced extreme conditions from wide-scale flooding.” This has led to a further drop in the water levels and oxygen supply, which has caused the death of millions of fish in the river.
Heatwaves have become more frequent, intense, and long-lasting due to human-induced climate change. The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began, and unless governments worldwide take significant steps to reduce emissions, temperatures will continue to rise.
The situation in Menindee is a stark reminder of the urgent need for climate action. It is not only a threat to the environment, but it also has devastating impacts on the economy and the lives of the people who depend on these resources for their livelihoods.
The NSW DPI has warned people not to touch or consume the dead fish and to avoid swimming in the affected areas. The authorities have also started to remove the dead fish, but the cleanup process is expected to be a significant challenge, given the scale of the event.
This is not the first time such an event has occurred in the region. In 2018, millions of fish died in the same river system, leading to widespread outrage and calls for action to prevent future occurrences.
The situation in Menindee underscores the need for urgent and decisive action to address the root causes of climate change. The world cannot afford to delay any longer, and governments around the world must take bold steps to reduce emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change.