El Paso, Texas ( Border Report )- Inhabitants of nearby cities are concerned that the area may be the site of a major health disaster as a result of thousands of bass being left dying in a river in the border state of Chihuahua.
In the village of Anahuac, Mexico’s Laguna Bustillos, north of Cuauhtemoc, a few weeks ago, fish and catfish started turning up dead. Federal officials who had been monitoring the expansion of fish populations to encourage recreational fishing were disappointed by that.
The lifeless fish matter soared into the hundreds of thousands as the temperature started to rise and lakes levels were already reduced as a result of water outflows and the lack of rain, according to Anahuac Mayor Saul Sausameda Montes.
” Lake rates have been falling since two years of drought.” Because the fish population had increased, they became stranded in deep water, they are dying for lack of oxygen. This does n’t have to do with lake contamination or fish disease – it’s because of the drought”, Sausameda told Border Report.
The governor and the area’s farmers are urging state and federal government to reduce the seafood before they perish, avert mosquitoes, and promote the spread of flying conditions.
” Sixty thousand dead fish are present.” Our top goal is to stop a medical emergency, Sausameda said, adding that he had set up a meeting with state leaders and the army this week to ask for assistance.
A wonderful fish died 20 years ago at the river, according to grower Rafael Murillo Arana. However, he has not observed these numerous fish cleaning up dead.
” The smell ( of dead fish ) reaches our farms, and we are seeing large numbers of very small mosquitos. We have to maintain our homes closed”, he said.
According to Murillo, proper weather could have prevented the issue, but rain would only be expected to increase health dangers.
” If we do n’t pick up the fish, if it rains a little the rain will bring the dead fish to our communities. Additionally, some fields have 500 or more children in their classrooms. If illness breaks out, the kids will be very vulnerable”, he said.
Bustillos Lake covers a 54 rectangular- mile region. According to Sausameda, the lake is declining at a rate of 50 % and is declining.
The drought that grips the majority of northern Mexico has an impact on vegetables and leads to shortages of land animal feed, in addition to dead fish. ” If we do n’t get rain this year, it’s all over. Some people will stop planting”, Murillo said. ” It’s been two, three years of lost plants. We had help, we the people and the species”.
( ProVideo in Chihuahua, Mexico, contributed to this report. )
