Thousands of dead fish washed ashore Tuesday along a mile and a half of a South Carolina beach, officials said.

The occurrence is the second of its kind in the area in a week.

About 30,000 to 40,000 dead menhaden were spread along the shore from DeBordieu Beach in Georgetown County to Pawleys Island, and thousands more were expected, Pawleys Island Police Chief Michael Fanning said.

Marine experts determined the fish died from hypoxia, which occurs when the amount of oxygen declines in the water.

The occurrence was a natural event, said Mel Bell, director of the Office of Fisheries Management for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (Andrew Mach, NBC News, Jan. 18). -- KJ