More than 65 tonnes of dead fish washed up on Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic rowing venue after rotting plant life causes the oxygen level in the water to drop.
The Brazilian authorities conducted a two-day emergency clean-up operation involving 100 municipal workers on the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon.
Earlier in the week heavy rains had washed rotten algae into the lagoon, causing oxygen levels to deplete and killing thousands of yellowtail, catfish, tilapia and sea bass.
Sixty-five tonnes of fish died in the lake last week, leading to a huge clean up operation
The city has suffered similar events before, with one in 2009 killing 100 tonnes of fish.
The picturesque lagoon, which is located at the heart of the city beneath the famous monument Christ the Redeemer, is to be used as the rowing venue for the Olympic Games in 2016.
The lagoon is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via a canal that splits the beaches of Ipanema and Leblon.
The fish (left) were killed by rotting algae leading to a huge clean up operation by the authorities (right)
Olympic legend Sir Steve Redgrave visited the lagoon, describing it a most stunning venue for the rowers to enjoy.
He said: ‘It’s a marvellous setting, it’s absolutely stunning.
‘In our sport normally we compete outside the city – we never get to compete in the heart of a city, but here in Rio we have got that chance.
‘We will be very much in the middle of it, with the Jesus Christ statue looking over the rowers. It will be very, very special from a rower’s point of view, and I’m sure it will be special for the spectators too.’
The Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon hosted rowing events at the 2007 Pan- American Games.
Source: Daily Mail