Tenom: Villagers in Kg Makaniton fear contamination of their gravity-fed water supply used for daily needs following mass deaths of fish in Sungai Purolon lately.
Tenom Fisheries Department personnel visited the site to conduct inspections and collect fish samples for laboratory analysis to determine the cause.
Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) Chairman Jubin Kinsil said swift action was taken after receiving complaints from villagers who began noticing dead fish floating on the river’s surface about four days ago.
“We’re worried the water quality may have been affected because the river serves as our main source of gravity-fed water. Some fish are still alive but appear weak,” he said.
The department is expected to coordinate further action with other agencies, including the Tenom District Health Office, should the analysis indicate any risk to public safety.
Jubin also advised villagers to immediately report any significant changes in water colour, odour, or aquatic life behaviour to assist in continuous monitoring by the authorities.
