Mass fish death in Athalassa Park lake

On March 29, approximately 80 dead fish, primarily carp weighing 2-3 kg, were discovered in the lake at Athalassa Park in Nicosia. Glafkos Kyriaku, spokesperson for the Department of Forestry, stated that preliminary evidence suggests natural causes rather than disease or pollution. Authorities hypothesize that a sudden rise in water levels disturbed the bottom silt, leading to oxygen depletion in the water. Several government bodies, including the departments of forestry, water development, fisheries, the environment, and the veterinary services, have launched a coordinated investigation. Water and biological samples have been sent to a laboratory, with results expected within a week. Cleanup efforts are currently underway to prevent ecosystem damage, while officials confirm that turtles and birds in the area remain unaffected. Similar incidents were previously recorded in 2024 with no lasting ecological impact.