15 Tons Of Dead Fish In Maninjau Lake, Now Appears Of A Pungent Odor

An unpleasant smell hit the Lake Maninjau area, Agam, West Sumatra, after the mass death of fish in the volcanic lake due to strong winds. (AMONG)

AGAM - An unpleasant odor hit the Lake Maninjau area, Tanjungraya, Agam Regency, West Sumatra, a few days after the mass death of fish in the volcanic lake due to strong winds.

One of the visitors, Yanto (40) said that the smell started from Muko-Muko, Nagari Koto Malintang to Maninjau Market, Nagari Maninjau.

"The unpleasant smell got into the car when the glass was completely covered," he said as quoted by Antara, Thursday, February 4.

He said the smell was very strong in the border area between Bayua and Maninjau.

At that location, the smell was so strong that he could not be in the area. "I feel dizzy with this condition, because I got off at that location," he said.

Meanwhile, a resident of Ernita added that this condition occurred after tilapia died suddenly, Monday, February 1.

"This unpleasant smell occurred on Tuesday (2/2) afternoon, after the fish's stomach broke," he said

He regretted that the fish carcass was thrown by the owner of the floating net into the lake.

With these conditions, air pollution occurs in the Lake Maninjau area.

"I am used to this condition when the fish die," he said.

Asrul, a Fishery Extension Officer at the Agam Fisheries and Food Security Service, added that the total mortality of fish in Lake Maninjau reached 15 tons, which are scattered in Nagari Bayua and Koto Malintang.

"The fish died because the oxygen at the bottom of the lake was reduced, so the fish got dizzy and a few hours later died," he said.