TALISAY, Philippines – More than 800 tons of fish have died and
rotted on fish farms in a lake near Taal volcano south of Manila, with
authorities blaming it on a sudden temperature drop.
The
massive fish deaths started late last week but have eased. Officials
have banned the sale of the rotting fish, which are being buried by the
truckload in Talisay and three other towns in Batangas province, Bureau
of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources official Rose del Mundo said Sunday.
The
deaths are unrelated to recent signs of restiveness in Taal volcano,
which is surrounded by the lake where many villagers have grown
milkfish and tilapia — staple foods for many Filipinos, officials said.
The volcano and lake are a popular tourist draw.
Government
volcanologist Allan Loza said Monday that 115 earthquakes were detected
in Taal in the past 24 hours compared to an average of 10 to 15 quakes
daily in recent weeks, a sign that magma is rising from within the
small volcano. Such unrest has been monitored since April, long before
last week's fish deaths, he said.
Talisay
agricultural officer Zenaida Macatangay said an initial investigation
showed the deaths may have been caused by the temperature change as the
rainy season set in last week after a scorching summer, which also
depleted the lake's oxygen levels.
Schools of
fish were seen swimming in circles before they floated dead to the
surface in huge numbers. The deaths have occurred in the past at
summer's end but in much smaller numbers, Mendoza said.
Some
Taal lake areas turned white due to the massive numbers of dead
milk-colored fish. Workers covered their noses with their hands or
clothing Sunday as they scooped up the rotting fish and placed them
into sacks.
"Many were sad and devastated
because they invested a lot in these fish cages," Talisay Mayor Zenaida
Mendoza told The Associated Press by telephone.
More
than 400 tons of milkfish have died in Talisay alone since Friday in 84
out of about 1,000 fish pens — lake areas about half the size of a
basketball court that are fenced off by bamboo poles and nets. Damage
has been estimated at $770,000 (33 million pesos), Mendoza said. About
400 tons more have died in the other towns. AP
