Thousands of dead fish wash ashore in drought-hit Iraq, probe on

Thousands of small dead fish washed ashore on the banks of the Amshan River in Majar-al Kabir in Maysan province in southeast Iraq amid blistering weather conditions.

Linking the wildlife disaster to possible drought conditions in the area, officials on Monday announced that they'd be investigating the matter of the river, which is home to almost nine aquatic species.

Iraq's agricultural ministry said that it is forming a committee to look into the cause of deaths, AFP reported, citing news agency INA.

The Maysan region is home to fabled marshes in the floodplain of the Tigris River and has already been suffering from the effects of global warming.

The United Nations has also ranked Iraq as one of the world's five countries most impacted by theeffects of climate change.

Fish keep dying even now

Amid the deaths, a Maysan province official that oversees its Marshes for the Iraqi environment ministry named Khodr Abbas Salman told AFP that according to the terrain analysesconducted by them, the level of oxygen in the water is zero and is adding to the salinity levels.

Salman said that he too joined the mission of inspecting the deaths of "tonnes" of fish.

He added that samples from both fish and rivers will be analysed to determine if there is any chemical substance present.

"The water can no longer be used for agriculture. It would scourge the land if farmers use it for irrigation."

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The expert further warned of possible risks of pollution in the water and surrounding lands, which can cause more animals to die.

"Any dead animal rots... which raises the level of pollution. The water's toxicity might increase and infiltrate the land too," he said.

A similar phenomenon happened in June 2023 in the US state of Texas,where thousands of dead fish washed ashore on a beach along the Gulf Coast.

The dead fishes were found at the far end of Bryan Beach, near the Brazos River.

The officials who published the photos of the dead fishes said that the combination of shallow waters and a lack of sunlight led to depleting oxygen levels on shore, leading to deaths.

Going on, the local media reported that thousands more fish are expected to wash ashore.

(With inputs from agencies)

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