Russia's Iskitimka River turns beetroot red, residents say ducks refuse to enter it

In a horrifying incident, another river in Russia has turned beetroot red after a major incidence of contamination by a mystery pollutant. According to Daily Mail, the Iskitimka River is one of the several rivers in Russia that have undergone a mysterious discolouration. While the officials in the Siberian Kemerovo region are investigating the cause of the spillage, the local residents have said that the ducks are refusing to swim in the “toxic water”. 

The Iskitimka River is located in the south of the country. Its change in colour has stunned locals in the industrial city, which the river flows through. Several photos and videos have also been shared online that shows the water of the river turned into an unnatural red. 

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While sharing the picture of the Iskitimka River, one user wrote, “It's like borscht soup, but probably more poisonous. The water looks toxic”. Resident Andrey German also told the media outlet that there are no ducks in the river and all are on the bank. Resident Elena Dubrovskaya said that the river “looks like cranberry jelly”.

According to reports, the environmental officials have said that the red-coloured water was from a blocked drain. However, the chemical that caused the discolouration is still under investigation. The Russian police are also seeking to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. The officials are still not clear whether the chemical poses a risk to human health. As per local reports, the polluted waters have flowed into larger Tom River. 

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Not the first 

Meanwhile, this is not the only river in Russia to have turned red. Earlier this year, a river in Naro-Fominsk in Western Russia also turned red after a chemical release. The Gvozdnya River had also turned red and similarly, the blame was put on “wastewaters” flowing from drainage pipes. Back then, the locals had complained that they were giver no details as to the cause of the pollution. 

Back in October, Russia also saw a sudden mass deaths of sea creatures resulting from water pollution in the Kamchatka region. The locals witnessed large numbers of dead sea creatures including seals, octopuses and sea urchins washed up ashore. Following this, researchers who conducted a test immediately found above-permitted levels of phenol and petroleum products in sea.

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