‘The smell is next level’: millions of dead fish spanning kilometres of Darling-Baaka river begin to rot

Releasing environmental water held downstream could help stem the spread of poor quality water, experts say

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

A “wall of dead fish” spanning tens of kilometres is moving along a stretch of the Darling-Baaka river near the town of Menindee, with temperatures forecast to reach 41C in the area on Saturday.

“The smell is just next level,” resident Graeme Crabb said. “Imagine the smell if you put a dead fish in your sink and let it rot for a few days – but we have millions of them.”

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup