Residents concerned as waters of Greater Buenos Aires creek turn red

The waters of the Sarandí canal in Greater Buenos Aires flowed deep red Thursday, triggering concern among residents of Avellaneda in the south of Buenos Aires

"You do not have to be an inspector to realise that our poor Sarandí creek is suffering contamination," said 52-year-old housewife María Ducomls, a resident of the area for over 30 years.

For her, the flow of the creek "seemed like a bloodbath."

The Buenos Aires Province Environment Ministry issued a communiqué stating that it had taken samples of the water to determine what substance had provoked the colouring.

"It is estimated that it could have been an organic pigment," reads the official story.

Photographers present at the scene said the colour became diluted in the course of the afternoon.

The colouring of the creek, which runs through a zone of textile factories and tanneries, triggered concern among local residents.

Ducomls said her family had woken up early due to the "stench." 

She criticised local firms which "treat special and dangerous residues" in the immediate neighbourhood.

The neighbour assured that "it is the industries [of the zone] which eject their waste into the creek but although this has been denounced, "nobody comes along to give any explanation."

She said that this is not the first time that the creek has appeared dyed: "We’ve seen it bluish, greenish, pink and purplish with a greasy surface which looks like oil."

– TIMES/AFP