Authorities take emergency measures following massive death of sebou river fish

Authorities in the city of Kenitra (40km north of Rabat) have taken emergency measures following the surfacing Thursday of large numbers of dead fish on the banks of Sebou, one of Morocco's biggest rivers.

A committee made up of veterinarians, port authorities, firemen, county police and the water and forests department was set up to assess the situation and take preventive measures against the consumption or marketing of the dead fish.

Checkups have also been carried out along the river by teams of the National Institute of Sea Studies (INRH) and Sebou waters are being analyzed in a Rabat specialized lab.

The Sebou river suffers massive pollution, caused by populations and by flanking cities and factories, mainly sugar and paper plants. Another source of pollution is the Oued Fez river that carries waste produced by the city's traditional leather and olive oil plants.