SINGAPORE - Hundreds of dead fish, measuring 5cm long each and similar to the ones found earlier, were washed up ashore yesterday along Sungei Tampines, making it the second incident to have occurred in the Pasir Ris estate in the past 10 days.
The latest episode sparked questions from residents, with most wanting to know the cause of the two incidents.
Contractors who cleared the fish told Today that the amount yesterday was less than that of the first incident. Last Tuesday, thousands of dead white fish were washed up along Sungei Api-Api, which flows through Pasir Ris estate and Pasir Ris Park.
Yesterday morning, dead fish consisting mainly of baby tamban - a type of saltwater fish - were discovered at the downstream section of Sungei Tampines, from Pasir Ris Drive 3 to the river mouth, said national water agency PUB.
While the stench of rotting fish lingered on at around 3pm yesterday as 12 contractors cleared bags of dead fish from Sungei Tampines, Pasir Ris residents were perturbed by the latest grisly find.
"It is an awful sight and smell," said Mr Muhammad Sarif, 27, who has been living in Pasir Ris estate for the past 15 years, and wanted to know why there are so many dead fish around lately.
Another resident, Ms Nur Liyana, 24, who has been living in the estate for 20 years, wondered whether the fish died of water pollution or other causes. "It would be good to know the reason behind it," she added.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) previously ruled out water contamination as the cause in the March 20 incident at Sungei Api-Api.
As this is the second incident, some residents are worried that they would affect the river ecosystem.
Mr Eric Lim, who has been living in the estate for 14 years and fishes regularly at Pasir Ris River, said that he has seen net casters who "fish at the beach and throwing anchovies and tambans back into the water".
"Since this is the second time that this has happened, the authorities should pay more attention to the net casters," he felt.
In a joint statement yesterday evening, the PUB assured the public that yesterday's incident had no impact on drinking water quality. The NEA is also investigating the cause of the incident.
Dead fish found in Tampines river
Straits Times 30 Mar 12;
MORE than a thousand dead fish were found in a downstream stretch of Sungei Tampines yesterday.
They were a type of saltwater fish known as baby tamban.
When The Straits Times reached the site at about 5.30pm, contractors from national water agency PUB had finished clearing the fish.
They had been packed into dozens of black garbage bags and put in the back of a truck.
A fishy smell lingered in the air around the river.
The affected area stretched from Pasir Ris Drive 3 to the river mouth.
A similar incident occurred last Tuesday at Pasir Ris beach and along Sungei Api Api, which is separated from Sungei Tampines by Pasir Ris Park.
The thousands of dead fish washed ashore then were of two species, both belonging to the sardine family.
Nearly all were removed by last Wednesday night, and no more were found after that.
A spokesman for the PUB said the quality of drinking water will not be affected.
The Straits Times spoke to 20 residents who live in HDB flats overlooking the river. All were unaware of the incident.
A spokesman for the National Environment Agency said it is investigating the cause of yesterday's incident.
Singapore has had other instances of mass fish deaths. In December 2009, a plankton bloom killed 400,000 fish in farms off Pasir Ris and Pulau Ubin.
FELICIA CHOO