Thousands of dead fish washed up on the coast of northern Chile. Local authorities ordered the cleanup because the rotting corpses could pose an epidemiological risk.
On Tuesday, thousands of dead fish, mostly from the anchovy family (Engraulidae), were found on the coast of Chinchorro, located in the region of Arica and Parinacota in northern Chile. Local authorities ordered to clean them up.
Call not to eat dead fish
Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service has urged residents of the Arica and Parinacota regions not to touch or eat dead fish, as they may pose a health risk.
“We need to remind our community that we are in a situation that could become dangerous. We have seen people taking dead fish into their homes and feeding them to their pets or using them as bait. This could put us under put a big risk. People, taking dead fish, will be punished”, the authorities appealed.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fish’s death. Chilean biologists believe that the mass death may be related to hypoxia.
Main image source: Reuters/Arika Es Bakan
