Whale carcass washes ashore on Ly Son Island on September 28.
The whale was in an advanced state of decomposition, emitting a strong odour, said local authorities.
“Around 3 pm on September 28, I saw the waves pushing a huge fish onto the shore in front of my house. As I came closer, I realised it was a whale, already bloated, decomposed, and giving off a foul smell,” said Dang Van Sam, a local resident who first discovered the scene.
According to Sam’s observation, the whale’s massive body was lying right at the water’s edge. However, due to the impact of typhoon Bualoi, no burial rituals have been carried out in accordance with local fishermen’s customs.
Confirming the incident, Nguyen Van Huy, Chairman of the Ly Son Special Zone People’s Committee, said normally, when a whale washes ashore, local fishermen conduct a burial in line with tradition.
“But as Typhoon Bualoi is directly affecting the area, this cannot be done for the time being,” added the local official.
The Quang Ngai Hydrometeorological Station reported Ly Son recorded strong winds of more than 60km/h under the influence of the typhoon.
