River in Argentina turns 'blood' red, alarming residents
What's the story
A river in a suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina, turned a shocking bright red on Thursday. The brightly colored water was seen flowing into the Rio de la Plata estuary, located next to an ecological reserve. Local media have speculated that the sudden color change could be due to textile dye or chemical waste being dumped from a nearby depot.
Speculations
Possible causes of the canal's color change
The Environment Ministry has taken water samples from the Sarandi Canal to probe these allegations. By late Thursday afternoon, reports said that the intensity of the red color had somewhat faded. The Sarandi Canal, which passes through an area famous for leather processing and textile factories about 10km from Buenos Aires's city center, has long been a concern for residents. They worry local companies could be dumping toxic waste into the stream.
Public worries
Residents voice concerns over potential toxic waste disposal
Silvia, a resident living close to the stream, spoke to local news channel C5N about previous occasions when the water turned yellow and had an acidic smell. She added that although there aren't many factories around now, there are warehouses. Another resident, Maria Ducomls, told AFP that industries in the area often dump waste into the water. She has seen different colors in the past, including "bluish, a little green, pink, a little lilac," usually with grease on top.
Twitter Post
Visuals of the river
"Una empresa puede contaminar un río todo lo que quiera", dijo Javier Milei en campaña al hablar de la "libertad del mercado".
— Andrés Actis (@ActisAndres) February 7, 2025
Así luce el canal Sarandí (Buenos Aires), que desemboca en el Río de la Plata. Los vecinos denuncian derrames tóxicos.
Video: @infobae pic.twitter.com/L9cutV1pFO