Giant catfish died deadly due to drought in Thailand

More than two tons of giant Mekong catfish were recovered at a reservoir in northern Thailand in just a few days.

Serious Chinese Han drought caused tons of catfish, also known as the giant Mekong catfish , died in mass at a reservoir in Phrae province, northern Thailand. The footage recorded on May 25 shows that dozens of fish bodies are being recovered and pulled out of the lake, including those weighing up to 150kg.

The prolonged hot sun caused giant catfish to die in mass.

Kanyasorn Tintip, a local resident, said it was the most severe drought in years. The deepest water level in the lake has plummeted from more than 6 meters to only about 1 meter, exposing parts of the lake bottom."This is the first time I've seen so many dead fish. At least two tons of fish have died," Tintip said.

There is no sign of rain in the coming days. The villagers were mobilized to catch the fish alive in the lake and transfer them to other places to save the situation. Local authorities have sent a request to the Royal Irrigation Department and the Phrae Department of Fisheries to help evacuate aquatic animals in the lake.

Tra fish is one of the largest freshwater fish species on Earth when the body grows to a length of 3m and weighs 300kg. They live in the lower Mekong countries, including Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Pangasius is now classified as an extremely dangerous animal in the World Red Book.

People salvaged dozens of catfish in a lake in Phrae.(Video: Viral Pres).

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