Agence France-Presse
06 March, 2000
Thousands of dead fish lie on the shores of the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon during carnival time in early March. Waste leaking from a sewerage pipe that ruptured when the system became overloaded had contaminated the lake. The pollution promoted growth of weeds and algae, which consume oxygen in the water. Warm temperatures made the situation worse. The incident provoked a demonstration by 10,000 local residents.
