A mass die-off of fish at Greece’s port of Volos has caused quite a stink, leading the country to declare an emergency. This natural disaster occurred as the foul-smelling carcasses blanketed the coastal shoreline. The floating corpses created a silvery layer on the dock and a stench that prompted locals to scoop them up before they could reach surrounding hotels and restaurants.
Pictures making rounds online depict a silvery covering of the dead fish that formed at the port last week.
More than 100 tons of dead fish had been collected in and around the port of Volos, in central Greece, following a mass die-off linked to extreme climate fluctuations.Yeah… I’m sure that’s what it was pic.twitter.com/8tMs32nucf— Katie Liane (@TheKaterPotater) August 29, 2024
Environmental Crisis in #Volos | #Greece
The picturesque port of Volos has turned into a scene of environmental distress as it’s inundated with tons of dead fish, a stark aftermath of last year’s catastrophic floods. This ecological disaster not only paints a grim… pic.twitter.com/JwEfWcgp4U
— DISASTER TRACKER (@DisasterTrackHQ) August 29, 2024
Over 100 tons of dead fish collect in and around the port of Volos in central Greece, following a mass die-off attributed to extreme climate fluctuations, authorities reported Thursday. No time to wait. #ActOnClimate#climate #energy #renewables pic.twitter.com/NXbuaQ43zH
— Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema) September 2, 2024
According to The New York Times report, deaths occurred due to poor water management and global warming. The fish are thought to have been driven downstream to Volos from the Lake Karla region, a wetland protected by the European Union.
The water levels reportedly increased following a significant storm that resulted in severe floods in central Greece last fall. The New York Times was informed that they cleared over 100 tonnes of dead fish from the region’s waters.
Pantelis Sidiropoulos, an assistant professor of rural and surveying engineering at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, estimated that the storm had inundated some 50,000 acres of property surrounding Lake Karla, the report added.
However, Sidiropoulos told the publication that high temperatures forced a large amount of water to evaporate, putting vast amounts of fish in shrinking conditions that were poisoned by pollutants and lacked oxygen.
He mentioned that his colleagues had noticed dead fish in the countryside around Lake Karla, adding, “The fish are victims of climate change.”
Trawlers hauled nets to catch fish on August 28, which were then thrown into the back of trucks, according to The Guardian. It has been reported that on a single day, almost 40 tonnes were gathered.
The proprietor of a beach restaurant, located 10 kilometres from Volos, was cited by the publication as saying that his summertime sales fell by 80% since fewer people wanted to vacation there following the flooding.
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