The People’s Court of Ky Anh Town in Ha Tinh Province said over 500 local fishermen have taken legal action against Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation to seek compensation for the damage caused by its discharge of harmful industrial wastewater into the sea.

Hundreds of people flocked to the People's Committee of Ky Anh Town to fill the petition against Formosa.

More than 100 tons of dead fish were washed ashore in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces after the severe environmental incident took place in April. 

The serious pollution has affected the livelihoods of thousands of people, especially fishermen.

The news site VnExpress reported that most of the lawsuits came from fishermen in Quynh Luu District of Nghe An Province and Ky Ha Commune of Ky Anh Town.

They requested the Taiwanese investor of the Formosa Ha Tinh steel complex to compensate for their losses in fishing and production of salt and salted fish, among others.

It will take five days for the lawsuit files to be weighed and processed, and hearings will be held separately if the court agrees to handle them, said Van Dinh Minh, deputy director of Ha Tinh Province’s Department of Justice.

Formosa has already paid US$500 million in compensation for economic damage caused by the incident. 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has pledged to start distributing compensation money to affected people in the four provinces early next month.

SGT