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FISHY

Millions of Fish Wash Up Dead in Australia After Heat Wave

The clusters of fish have left a strong smell and disturbing sight for southern Australian locals in recent weeks.

A cluster of dead fish washed up on a shore

Lucas Landau/Reuters

By Alec Karam

Millions of dead fish have washed up in Australia likely as a result of a heat wave amid extreme flooding. The fish presumably died from low oxygen levels as floods receded, with the heat wave only accelerating their need for oxygen, according to the Department of Primary Industries in New South Wales. In recent weeks, the mass deaths have been common off the coast of the Darling-Baaka River and across southeast Australia. Residents in the area told NBC News the clusters of dead fish have left a strong smell, too. “It’s a terrible smell and horrible to see all those dead fish,” local Jan Dening said.

Read it at NBC News

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