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Fish are continuing to die by the tonne in a Rio de Janeiro lake designated to host Brazil's Olympic rowing events, while city authorities and biologists argue about the cause of the mass deaths.
 Rio's Comlurb waste management company said that, as of Wednesday night, it had collected more than 37 tonnes of dead fish from the Rodrigo de Freitas Lake since the deaths started late last week.
 Garbage collectors were out in force again on Thursday to rake dead fish off the water's surface, and Comlurb said the effort would continue until the fatalities had subsided.
 The decomposing fish, a small silvery species called twait shad, were disposed of at the city's main rubbish dump. 
 But an overwhelming stench still enveloped the lake, sparking complaints by angry neighbours and passers-by.
 Such events are common in Rio, where rivers, lakes and even the ocean are blighted by raw sewage and rubbish. In February, twait shad died in vast numbers in the blighted waters of the Guanabara Bay, where the Olympic sailing events are to be held.
 Rio's environmental secretariat insisted on Thursday the latest incident is the result of a sudden change in water temperature. 
 "The intense rains that happened last week and a rise in the sea levels led to a spike in the [sea] water entering the lake, causing a thermal shock," it said in a statement, reporting that water temperature in the lake fell by 4 degrees Celsius over a short period.
 However, scientists rejected that explanation, saying pollution was really to blame.
 Estefan Monteiro da Fonseca, oceanographer at Fluminense Federal University, said the official version "makes no sense".
 "The lake continues receiving large quantities of sewage," he said, adding that it "has large concentrations of sulphur because of the organic material dumped into it, and depending on the winds, that material rises to the surface and kills fish." 
 Rio's water quality has become one of the most contentious issues heading into the 2016 Olympics. Authorities have long said that the games would be the catalyst for a major clean up of the city's waterways, but as the showcase sporting event approaches with few improvements, authorities are now admitting that the Olympic promises won't be met. 
 Rio Governor Luiz Fernando Pezao acknowledged earlier this week "there's not going to be time" to finish ahead of the games, suggesting it might wrap up by the end of 2018 instead. 
 Sailors have repeatedly voiced concerns about possible health and safety threats posed by competing in Rio's waters.
 Fonseca warned that if another spate of fish deaths occurs during the games in August 2016, "Rio's image could suffer irreparable damage."


Rio Olympic rowing venue stinks of dead fish, raising concern over athletes' health

Workers of Rio de Janeiro's Comlurb waste company remove dead fish from the lake.Photo: AFP

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