Hundreds of dead fish were discovered yesterday on the banks of the Tamsui River near the Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕碼頭) in Taipei.
Area residents said that they began noticing the dead fish, which included mullet and milkfish, floating on the surface at around 7am.
Chen Ying-hui (陳穎慧), the neighborhood chief for Guoshun Borough (國順), which borders the river, told reporters he suspected that the fireworks show that took place at the wharf earlier this month could be a factor in the fish kill.
PHOTO: CNA
The fireworks show was held by the Taipei City Government to mark the one-year countdown to the 2010 International Flora Exhibition.
Chen said he suspected that the large amounts of chemicals deposited in the river by the fireworks might have polluted the riverbed.
Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) officials said that they hadn’t determined the cause of the fish kill, but said it could be because of the rapidly cooling weather, which lowers oxygen levels in the water.
Investigators said they had sent samples of the dead fish to labs for analysis and the reports should be back within the next three days.
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