About 400 tonnes of fish valued at VND 6 billion (US$356,000) were found dead over the weekend in Mekong Delta.

The dead fish were mostly silver pomfret and tilapia, which floated to the surface along a 20-kilometre stretch of the Hau River. Affected communes include Trung Kien, Thoi Thuan and Thot Not Town, all of which are located in Can Tho City's Thot Not District.

Fish breeders in the communes had noticed their stock dying on Saturday (June 28, 2008) and authorities have since sent personnel to the affected communes to investigate the cause of death. Officials have collected water samples for analysis.

A tanker containing molasses for a nearby alcohol business leaked on Friday night, according to Nguyen Minh Toai, deputy mayor of Thot Not District. Fish breeders also believed that the molasses leak was behind the deaths, which have affected the livelihoods of at least 22 families who farmed in the delta.