About 200 tons of fish died due to hot and sweltering, hot weather in the Ili River Valley in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region since early July, said the water conservancy department of the Ili Prefecture.

The Ili River Valley has been suffering prolonged hot spells with the highest temperature reaching 37.7 degrees centigrade, the local meteorological station said.

Most of the fish categories in the Ili River are grown in the temperatures between 22 and 28 degrees centigrade. Hot and suffocating temperatures makes fish suffer from oxygen deficiency and jaded appetites and finally results in their death, the source said.

The local water conservancy department is launching rescue efforts to rescue the fish in the river and fish ponds from dying.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 13, 2005)