Thousands of fish die in lakes and rivers across U.S. as stifling heat continues

Thousands of fish are turning up dead in lakes and rivers across the United States as heat waves continue to bake half the country.

The extremely hot temperatures are to blame for the thousands of fish deaths that have been reported from Delaware to South Dakota and Tennessee.

The excessive heat has exasperated a problem that can occur during warm months when the heat causes reduced oxygen in waters, resulting in the fish kills.

Kills: Heat waves are to blame for thousands of fish deaths across the U.S. like an estimated 10,000 bluegills in Knoxville, Tennessee (pictured)

In Delaware, up to 6,000 gizzard shad have been found dead along with 600 white perch and a few other types of fish.

John Clark, Fisheries Section administrator of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control told NBC Philadelphia that the fish deaths are 'no surprise.'

He said: 'As long as these conditions persist, there’s a chance of more fish kills in Delaware.'

In Knoxville, Tennessee, at least 10,000 small bluegills are estimated to be dead.



The fish kills have created quite a stink in the community surrounding the Butterfly Lake where the fish were found.

The fish began to rot leaving an awful smell, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel .

More: Thomas Fisher (left) Charles McCurdey and John Brown collect fish from Tennessee's Butterfly Lake as fish kills occur from Delaware to South Dakota

'It's really putrid,' Paula Gumpman, president of the neighborhood association, told the newspaper. 'It's like after a hurricane. Gooky and yucky.'

A combination of heat and low water elvels have left thousands of fish dead along in a South Dakota lake and in areas along the border of the state and North Dakota.

Large amounts of northern pike, walleye and perch fish are among the dead.

Around 500 fish in South Carolina have turned up dead.



Fish are not the only casualties of the unrelenting heat as 30 people across half the country have been killed due to weather-related conditions.

This included nine in Maryland and ten in Chicago, mostly among the elderly.

'No surprise: The excessive heat has increased a problem that occurs in warm months when the heat causes reduced oxygen in waters, resulting in fish kills

Three elderly people found dead in their houses in Ohio had heart disease, but died of high temperatures in homes lacking power because of recent outages, officials said.



Heat was also cited as a factor in three deaths in Wisconsin, two in Tennessee and three in Pennsylvania.

The heat sent temperatures soaring in more than 20 states to 105 in Louisville, Ky., 101 in Philadelphia, and 95 in New York; besides Washington, a record of 104 was set in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Baltimore set a record at 102.

Officials said the heat caused highways to buckle in Illinois and Wisconsin. In Maryland, investigators said heat likely caused rails to kink and led a green line Metro train to partially derail in Prince George's County on Friday afternoon. No one was injured, and 55 passengers were safely evacuated.