Up to 1,000 rotten dead ducks have been found floating in a river in Meishan city, Southwest China’s Sichuan province, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday.

With the joint efforts of local environmental protection, waterworks and livestock department, the dead ducks have been disinfected with lime and buried three meters underground in a designated area, said Liang Weidong, deputy director of the publicity office of Pengshan county.

Liang denied it was a dumping work by local residents. Bagged in 50 to 60 plastic woven bags, the duck carcasses are believed to have been washed downward from upstream and accumulated in the Pengshan section of Nanhe river due to lack of water in dry season. The cause of their death is unknown.

The incident poses no threat to drinking water, nor does it endanger residents and livestock along the river banks, said Liang.

Thousands of dead pigs were retrieved from Shanghai's Huangpu River at the beginning of this month and they were thought to have been dumped in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province.