Dead blue whale washed up in Newfoundland could explode

A dead blue whale that washed up on a beach in Newfoundland is about to explode.

The whale is slowly rotting and the stench is causing a problem for residents of Trout River.

According to CBC, the 25-metre whale washed up on the beach over a week ago and authorities are trying to work out how to move it before it bursts.

Emily Butler, Trout River's town clerk, said: "The whale is blowing up. It looks as if it's a big balloon, from a distance."

She added that it was likely part of a group of blue whales and died in heavy ice off Newfoundland's west coast.

Speaking to Global News, she said: "It's only going to be a matter of time before it warms up and the smell becomes unbearable."

But removing the whale from the beach isn't as simple as just carrying it away as the community needs a special permit to handle the endangered species, even though it is dead.

Fisheries and Oceans researcher Dr. Jack Lawson told Global News: "It's illegal... collecting it without a permit."

He added that the animal could be carrying virus and bacteria that harmful to humans, and warned people against touching the carcass.

It's unlikely that whales, which become bloated with gases when they decay, would explode on their own, he said.

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