The freshwater fish filled both the bay and nearby rivers after they were displaced from their normal habitats by floodwater last year which was followed by months of severe drought.
More than 100 tonnes of dead fish has washed into the central Greek port of Volos, after authorities blamed the mass deaths on extreme climate fluctuations.
The dead freshwater fish filled both the bay and nearby rivers after they were displaced from their normal habitats by flooding last year which was followed by months of severe drought.
Fishing trawlers have been chartered by the regional authorities, along with earthmovers, to scoop the dead fish out of the sea and load them onto trucks where they will be taken to an incinerator.
The fish came from Lake Karla in central Greece, a body of water drained in the early 1960s and restored in 2018 to combat the effects of drought.
“We are cooperating with whomever wants to help this phenomenon end as quickly as possible,” said Anna Maria Papadimitriou, the deputy regional governor of the central Thessaly area.
“The regional governor has declared a state of emergency,” she added.
Water levels rose abruptly last autumn during a deadly storm that caused extensive flooding in central Greece, but have since receded due to low rainfall in subsequent months and successive heatwaves this summer.
Experts say a net was not placed at the mouth of the river leading into Volos, so when the freshwater fish were carried with the floodwater they died when they came into contact with seawater.
The mayor of Volos, Achilleas Beos, lashed out at the regional authority, accusing it of acting too slowly. Speaking a press conference he said the stench was unbearable and warned the rotting fish could cause an environmental disaster.
And the city’s Chamber of Commerce said it was taking legal action to seek damages after commercial activity in the popular tourist destination dropped by an estimated 80% over the last three days.
“Businesses along the seafront, particularly in the catering industry, are now suspending operations,” the chamber said in a statement.
“A strong stench along the seafront is repulsive to both residents and visitors, delivering a severe blow to tourism in Volos.”
