Alarming scene in Istanbul: Hundreds of dead fish wash ashore!
Thousands of dead fish have washed ashore at Varan Lake in Istanbul's Eyüpsultan district. Local residents visiting the lakeshore have expressed their complaints, alleging that wastewater is being discharged into the lake. The contaminated water flowing into the lake and the dead fish on the shore were captured by drone footage.
İHA
Recent fish deaths at Varan Lake in the Pirinççi neighborhood of Istanbul's Eyüpsultan district have caused concern among local residents. The large number of fish washing ashore has also raised serious suspicions regarding the pollution of the lake. According to allegations, some factories in the area have been discharging sewage waste into the lake, causing the water to become polluted and the ecosystem to collapse.
DRONE FOOTAGE DOCUMENTS THE POLLUTION
Supporting the claims of local residents, footage of wastewater flowing into the lake was recorded with the help of a drone. The footage clearly shows dirty water flowing into the lake from a formation resembling a creek bed originating near the factories. The obvious color changes, especially at the confluence point, reveal the scale of the pollution. However, no official statement has been made by the authorities yet.
"SEWAGE WATER HAS BEEN CONNECTED TO THE LAKE"
Local resident Muhlis Güney stated that he had filed a criminal complaint regarding the issue and said:
"They were stealing water from this lake from time to time, and I complained about this situation. A horse farm here was inspected before, but it turned out it had nothing to do with it. I have a thousand decares of land here, and this situation affects me too. They previously built a reservoir and stole water from here; I won the court case. But now, sewage water from the neighborhoods above has been connected here. The flow of dirty water into the lake is causing the fish to die. Municipality and İSKİ teams have conducted inspections, but we have not been given any information yet."
"CHEMICALS OR WASTE MAY BE THE CAUSE"
Muhammet Gülten, who came to spend time at Varan Lake, emphasized that the lake has undergone a major change compared to its former state:
"I used to come here with my friends, but in recent weeks we have been facing a very bad sight. There is an unpleasant appearance in the lake, and no one is interested. It wasn't like this before; there was no trash or anything. I think the chemical waste of a factory or business caused this situation. The color is really bad, and the death of these fish is an indication that living things are being harmed. Someone needs to take care of this situation."
LOCAL RESIDENTS AWAIT A SOLUTION
Stating that authorities must take action regarding the fish deaths at Varan Lake, local residents are demanding urgent measures to restore the environment to its former state. An official statement regarding the source of the pollution around the lake and its solution is expected.