Tens of thousands of dead sardines drifted to the banks of the Chilean river

Sardines die in numbers up to tens of thousands of animals drifting to the banks of the Queule River in Chile, causing the habitat in the area to be seriously affected.

According to the Mirror, tens of thousands of tons of sardines died along the banks of the River Queule, south of Chile in early April. Scientists are still investigating the cause of the strange phenomenon. Local media warned people not to consume sardines because of concerns about health impacts.

Dead sardines drift to the banks of the River Queule, Chile.(Photo: Reuters).

"The Chilean government declared the mouth of Queule and the surrounding area a dangerous place for human health," said Hernan Machuca, head of the local fishermen group.

Dead fish cause unpleasant odors, affecting the ecological environment. They obstruct the flow of river water as well as the way of boats. The authorities are taking out the dead fish from the river to bring it to destruction.

"In our experience, if we collect a thousand tons of dead fish, the actual number in the Queule River must be more than 10 thousand tons, requiring a lot of time to work. The work cannot be completed quickly if only hired 50 River cleaners and 4 - 5 fishing boats now , " Machuca said.