Germany and Poland are doing everything they can to find out what is causing a massive fish kill in the river Oder. The countries suspect that the water has been poisoned. Germany thinks of mercury. The Polish army helps to clean up the carcasses.
The Oder flows into Poland and Germany. Tens of thousands of dead fish have been found since this week. People are not advised to swim in the river or to touch the water. The countries warn of an ecological disaster.
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The Ministry of the Environment of the German state of Brandenburg says mercury has been found in the river. According to the Germans, the poison comes from Poland. “And that was not reported through the alert systems, so we were only able to react when we saw dead fish,” said the Brandenburg Environmental Agency.
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Poland also thinks of poisoning, but says it needs until Sunday to analyze data on water quality. “So many substances have been found that could have caused the fish kill that we can’t say what caused it now.”
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According to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, it will take years before life in the river is restored. He considers it likely that huge amounts of chemical waste have been dumped into the river. He also said that the perpetrators will be found and punished.
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