Over 10,000 Dead Fish Wash Up On Shore Of Quintana Beach In Texas

Tens of thousands of dead fish washed up on the Texas Gulf Coast over the weekend, covering the shoreline with rotting carcasses and leading local officials to warn visitors to keep away.

Waves from the Gulf of Mexico pushed in dead fish “by the thousands” Friday in Brazoria County, which is over 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Houston, Quintana Beach County Park officials said.

Low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water made it difficult for the fish to breathe, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials said.

The phenomenon — known as a “fish kill” — is common as temperatures rise in the summer, the state department said.