In recent days, cages along the Serepok River in Krong Na and Ea Na communes have been filled with dead fish, causing severe pollution and disrupting the lives of riverside residents.
Tran Khanh Minh, who has worked on the river for decades, spent days rowing between cages to collect tonnes of dead fish after his entire red tilapia stock was wiped out.
Minh said his family operated 30 cages, each expected to yield around six tonnes. When Kalmaegi made landfall, rising floodwaters and strong currents battered the cages, injuring the fish and causing mass mortality.
“We have lost more than 10 tonnes, worth VND 300 million (approximately USD 11,760),” he said. “We had to sell whatever remained alive and salvage the dead ones to limit water pollution and prevent further spread.
Cages along the Serepok River in Krong Na and Ea Na communes have been filled with dead fish these days (Photo by Uy Nguyen)
Dozens of households along the Serepok have reported similar losses, with many losing their entire stock.
Nguyen Minh Dong, chairman of Ea Na Commune, said water from the Krong No River surged rapidly after the typhoon, devastating local fish farms. Authorities are compiling damage reports to propose support measures.
According to Krong Na Commune authorities, 199 cages holding about 1,100 tonnes of red tilapia belonging to 10 households were destroyed, with losses estimated at more than VND 46 billion (approximately USD 1.8 million).
The mass fish die-off has caused great losses for farmers (Photo by Uy Nguyen)
At Cu Mong Lagoon in Xuan Loc Commune, fish carcasses have also covered the surface, shocking local residents. Fisherman Nguyen Thanh Trung said all 40 cages of cobia and rabbitfish, due for harvest in a month, were swept away.
“All our effort and borrowed money have been washed away,” he said while clearing rotting fish to reduce the stench.
Xuan Loc Commune authorities reported that more than 70 per cent of local aquaculture cages were destroyed, causing over VND 75 billion (approximately USD 2.9 million) in damage.
Local authorities have asked the province for financial support to help farmers recover losses, resume production and stabilise their livelihoods.