'It's Horrible,' Resident Says of Stream Turned Blood Red

Argentine agency suggests 'organic dye' is to blame
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 8, 2025 12:00 PM CST
'It's Horrible,' Resident Says of Stream Turned Blood Red
An aerial view of the Sarandi stream on Thursday on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.   (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Residents of a suburb of Buenos Aires are waiting for answers about why a stream that flows through their neighborhood suddenly turned crimson red. Images and videos posted on social media show the change that occurred Thursday in the Sarandí stream on its way to an estuary, the Rio de la Plata, that borders an ecological reserve, the BBC reports. "It looked like a river covered in blood," Maria Ducomls, 52, told AFP. "It's horrible." Argentina's Environment Ministry said it's taken water samples to determine the cause, suggesting "organic dye" is a possibility.

Residents of Avellaneda, which is about 6 miles from the center of the capital, said many companies dispose of toxic waste in the stream. "You don't have to be an inspector to see how much pollution the poor Sarandi River suffers from," said Ducomls. Residents said that they've filed complaints since the 1990s and that several other cases remain open, per the AP. A newspaper, La Nación, said the river was emitting a "nauseating smell, like garbage." The unnatural color had faded a bit by late Thursday afternoon.

A Northeastern University who grew up in Buenos Aires and has been an environmental consultant there said the pollution can be attributed to "chronic lack of regulation and lack of enforcement," per the New York Times. "There's a huge, long history of pollution in the rivers of Buenos Aires, and it's really heartbreaking," said Moira Zellner. Ducomls, who's lived in the area for more than 30 years, has witnessed much of that history. "We have seen the river in other colors—we've seen it bluish, greenish, pink, purplish, with grease on top that looks like oil," she said. (More Argentina stories.)

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