In a mysterious incident, a canal in Argentina turned ‘blood red’ in colour triggering baffling reactions from locals and internet users as the video of the stream which seemed to be ‘covered in blood’ garnered widespread attention. Locals and residents near the stream neighbouring a Buenos Aires suburb were alarmed by the sudden occurrence and were woken up by a strong odour emerging out of the water body.
“It looked like a river covered in blood, it’s horrible,” a resident told media persons, describing the vibrant red water that flowed into the Rio de la Plata estuary, which borders a protected ecological reserve.
Water samples from the Sarandi Canal which turned into a deep crimson hue were taken to determine the reason behind the color change which could be an “organic dye”, according to the province’s Ministry of the Environment, the New York Post reported.
However, the exact cause of such an occurrence remains unclear. Some local media reports speculated that the transformation can be attributed to the illegal dumping of textile dye or chemical waste from a nearby storage facility.
The waterway is shared by Argentina and Uruguay. Here’s a video of the canal, which was shared on twitter with the caption: “A “bloody” river appears near Buenos Aires”
What did authorities say?
“On the morning of Thursday 6 February, we received a report that the waters of the Sarandí Canal had been dyed red,” the Argentina Environment Ministry said in a statement.
“Our mobile analysis laboratory was sent to the area and two litres of water were taken as samples for basic chemical analysis and liquid chromatography to determine what organic substance was responsible for the discolouration. It is thought to be some kind of organic colouring,” it added.
