Dead fish clog waters around Greece’s Volos por, as weather changes cause mass die-off and a “strong stench”

Volos, Greece — More than 100 tons of dead fish were collected in and around the port of Volos in central Greece after a mass die-off linked to extreme weather fluctuations, authorities said Thursday. The dead freshwater fish filled the bay 200 miles north of Athens, and nearby rivers.

Water levels in the area were swollen by floods in 2023, followed by months of severe drought.

The die-off has hit local businesses along the seafront, reducing commercial activity by 80% in the past three days, according to Volos’ Chamber of Commerce.

Dead Fish Wash Up At The Shores Of Volos City — Local officials say millions of dead fish have washed up on the beach and clogged the port and rivers around the city of Volos, Greece, as seen here on Aug. 27, 2024, spreading an incredible stench and alarming local authorities, residents and tourists.

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Fishing trawlers have been chartered by the regional authorities, along with earthmovers, to scoop the dead fish out of the sea and load them onto trucks bound for an incinerator.

The fish came from Lake Karla in central Greece, a body of water drained in the early 1960s and restored in 2018 to combat the effects of drought.

“There are millions of dead fish all the way from Lake Karla and 20 kilometers (12 miles) eastward,” Anna Maria Papadimitriou, the deputy regional governor of the central Thessaly area, told state-run television.

Greece's Volos struggles with fish die-off and stifling odor — A woman looks at a river with its surface covered in dead fish, in Volos, Greece, Aug. 29, 2024.

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“Right now, there is a huge effort underway to clean up the millions of dead fish that have washed along the shorelines and riverbanks… an effort that involves multiple contractors,” she said.

Water levels rose abruptly in fall 2023 during a deadly storm that caused extensive flooding in central Greece, but have since receded due to low rainfall and successive summer heat waves.

The mayor of Volos lashed out at the regional authority, accusing it of acting too slowly, while the city’s Chamber of Commerce said it was taking legal action to seek damages after the sever drop in commercial activity.

GREECE-CLIMATE-NATURE — Workers operate a mobile crane to remove dead fish floating on the Xiria River, near Volos, Greece, Aug. 28, 2024.

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“Businesses along the seafront, particularly in the catering industry, are now suspending operations,” the chamber said in a statement. “A strong stench along the seafront is repulsive to both residents and visitors … delivering a severe blow to tourism in Volos.”