Travel
Selfie Frenzy at Toxic ‘Siberian Maldives’ Alarms Authorities
- Power company to guard dump after locals ignore health warning
- Turquoise waters contain chemical ash dangerous for human skin
A woman poses for pictures at the Siberian "Maldives".
Photographer: Rotislave Netisov/AFP via Getty Images
A rush by residents of the Russian city of Novosibirsk to snap selfies in and around a nearby toxic reservoir dubbed the ‘Siberian Maldives’ has prompted the power company that uses it as a dump to set up a 24-hour guard.
The now turquoise waters of the artificial lake, which contains chemical ash residue from a coal-generated power station, have attracted thousands of locals who’ve been posting their photographs on Instagram and other social media, fueled by media coverage of the phenomenon.