A well-known beach turned blood-red as intense rainfall hit the mineral-laden shoreline.
Iran
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Videos shared online revealed how the heavy rain illuminated the Silver and Red Beach on Hormuz Island, attracting tourists who came to admire its vibrant hues.
The floodwaters cascading from the rocks at the tourist spot formed breathtaking waterfalls, leaving behind an unsettling path of crimson all the way to the shore.
Hormoz Omid, the tour guide, shared the video as well.
Instagram
reaching almost one million likes and eliciting amazed responses.
The hidden ‘rainbow island’ in the Strait of Hormuz stays mostly untouched, with few residents and located far off the coast of Iran.
This occurrence is an all-year-around feature attributed to the significant presence of iron oxide within the volcanic ground.
These minerals blend with the seawater, imparting the shoreline a distinctive red luminescence.
The valuable ‘gelack’ soil holds significance for industrial uses, being employed in dyeing processes, cosmetic applications, as well as in manufacturing glass and ceramics.
However, it also has a place in the regional dishes, often utilized as a seasoning in sauces and jams, as noted by a local tourism source.
board
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As you stroll along the shoreline, you’ll come across areas where the sand sparkles with traces of metallic compounds, particularly captivating during sunrise or sunset, according to the Iran Tourism and Touring Organization.
‘The soil color around you keeps changing as you walk or ride and you can visit a unique red edible soil and other 70 colorful minerals in Hormuz Island.’
Video shared last year
wrongly
stated that the beaches were “transformed” red because of the “extreme conditions”.
However, visitors can witness this uncommon occurrence at any time of the year and under any weather conditions.
“I adore this lovely nation. Let’s work hard at keeping it clean and well-maintained,” posted Instagram user shiva_km22.
elheshababi added: ‘The power of God …. How beautiful and amazing.’
Atermis.travell stated, “I regret not being able to attend personally, however, my spirit is undoubtedly present.”
Nearby, the small resort town of Torrevieja on Spain’s Costa Blanca features a strikingly pink lake, which owes its coloration to a specific kind of bacteria thriving in the salty environment.
Both the halobacteria and an alga known as Dunaliella salina contribute to the vibrant pink tones observable during the hotter season.
In summer, the heat makes the bacteria more active, making it easier to see the effect.
Organisms in the saline lakes obtain a pink hue from consuming bacteria and algae, which also imparts coloration to the plumage of flamingos, according to a local tourism website.
explains
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The prohibition against swimming in the lake is due to it being inhabited by numerous rare species.
Like the Dead Sea, the salinity of the lake would likely make swimmers float.
An Instagram user named hormoz_omid posted a video titled “Heavy rainfall occurred today at the Red Beach” on February 8.
Closer to home, Britons might have the good fortune to witness the uncommon sight of ‘glowing’ shorelines brought about by bioluminescent plankton.
Impressive photos shared back in May revealed
The beach at Sheerness in Kent was aglow with a striking electric blue light.
, triggered by tiny organisms that emit light when agitated by the movement of the water.
Bioluminescent plankton displays are seldom observed in the UK, typically appearing in more tropical regions like the Maldives and Mexico.
However, every so often, glowing plankton can be seen sparkling within the waters of North Wales.
The creation or release of light by a living organism can result in a spectacular luminosity emanating from the ocean.
This occurrence stems from a chemical process where chemical energy transforms into light energy. To facilitate this conversion, the organism needs to possess a substance known as luciferin.
When luciferin combines with oxygen, it produces light energy that we see as a glowing effect.
Visitors at Mexican beaches had the good fortune to witness a
a more evident instance of this phenomenon occurred in 2020 when the shoreline at Puerto Marqués in Acapulco illuminated for the first time in six decades.
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