It is so blue that people compare it to the sea in the Maldives. Yet this beautiful lake in Siberia is actually a toxic waste dump. We are in the city of Novosibirsk, 2,800 kilometers from Moscow, Russia. And the Siberian Malvides are now getting really famous on social media. On Instagram, for example, there are pictures of influencers wearing bikinis, models doing sexy poses and even newlyweds. They all look happy in the photos, just as if they were in the Indian Ocean.
The so-called Siberian Maldives have enchanted everyone. Unfortunately, the intense color of this lake comes from the production waste of the nearby power plant. In other words, it is a reservoir of chemical waste that shines in the sunlight. It has such an unnatural colour that it looks like the result of some particular photographic filter.
The Siberian authorities themselves warn of the turquoise charm, alerted by the increasingly frequent bathing in the toxic lake of Novosibirsk. Especially in summer, in fact, this area becomes crowded with people eager to take a picture with a breathtaking background. There are even those who enter this open-air landfill riding surfboards or airbeds with bizarre shapes.
Experts in Siberia, however, have tried to calm things down. The Siberian Generating Company, in fact, has specified that the lake is not poisonous and the level of radiation is normal. However, they have confirmed that it is a landfill and, as such, is not suitable for swimming.
Furthermore, it is important to specify that it is not a natural lake. In fact, it has been dug specifically to contain production waste. The water here is highly alkaline, with a pH greater than 8, which is due to calcium salts and metal oxides dissolved in it. Skin contact, therefore, can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. In addition to this, there is the fact that the bottom of the landfill is muddy – like quicksand. As a result, getting out of there without help may be impossible.
In short, one selfie too many could prove fatal. But that doesn’t seem to have held people back in their frantic search for the perfect shot so far. Suffice it to say that the first organized sightseeing tours of the lake are already taking place. This area has even become the set for photo shoots by professional photographers.