Lakes can be special places that make you remember family vacations or unforgettable summer camps. But not all lakes have the charm of coastal trees. Some lakes become luscious when adverse weather approaches, and those that feed on glacial springs can be dangerously cold (albeit crystal clear).
And also there are lakes that are deadly. Some of them are so insidious that even being on the shore can be fatal. Acidic water or volcanic fumes are serious threats, and there are examples of lakes with high concentrations of gases that literally explode.
Here are some lakes to stay away from:
Lake Kawah Ijen, Indonesia
Ijen Volcano is an Indonesian volcano with the largest acid lake in the world. The water in the crater ponds is a bright turquoise color. However, swimming here is not worth it. Not only does the acidity in this lake overshadow lemon juice, but the water is more dangerous than battery acid. The lake influences local life in the region. Even far downstream farmers are faced with abnormal pH levels in their irrigation water. Closer to the volcano, miners are working to collect sulfur. The presence of toxic gases makes this a very dangerous job, especially since most workers do not wear masks, but only cover their faces with cloth.
The sulfur inside Ijen ignites when it comes in contact with air. This creates a unique phenomenon: the gases burn with a strong blue flame. This is a dangerous yet exciting night light show.
Laguna Caliente, Costa Rica
Poas Volcano, in central Costa Rica, has two crater lakes. Lake Botos is located in an inactive crater that has not erupted for thousands of years. It is a pleasant place with clear water, surrounded by dense fog. Another crater lake, Laguna Caliente, differs significantly from it. It is one of the most acidic lakes in the world, with more acid than a car battery. Obviously, you don't want to swim in the water, but the lake can create acid rain and acid fog that can affect people even if they are not near the coastline.
It is often impossible to approach this lake. Poas is still one of the most active volcanoes in Costa Rica. Eruptions and activity within the volcano can cause hazardous emissions of gases and ash. For safety reasons, authorities in the national park surrounding the volcano often establish a 3 km perimeter around the crater.
Lake Nyos, Cameroon
One of the deadliest lake disasters in recent history occurred in northern Cameroon in 1986. The catastrophe was caused by a rare event known as the "limnological catastrophe". This phenomenon occurs when dissolved CO2 in deep lakes suddenly erupts from the water due to a change in pressure. This eruption creates a large cloud of carbon dioxide that can suffocate animals and humans because the carbon displaces all the oxygen. The 1986 eruption in Lake Nyos killed more than 1,700 people. The gas cloud is reported to have spread at a speed of over 100 km / h, over a distance of about 25 km from the lake shore.
Another lake in Cameroon, Lake Monoun, experienced a similar but less deadly eruption in 1984. As a result of this disaster, 37 people died. Both lakes are currently a degassing site that aims to prevent future problems. Lake Monoun is reportedly safe now because all the gas has been removed, but the larger lakes of Nyos continue to extract it.
Boiling Lake, Dominica
Lake Boiling is a boiling body of water on the island of Dominica in the Caribbean. The lake is a fumarole, a hole in the earth's crust that is flooded with sediment and is fed by two small streams. Underwater lava and gases from a nearby volcano heat the water. Around the coastlines, scientists measured temperatures from 82 to 92 °. However, they were unable to get readings from the middle of the lake, where the water is actively boiling.
The lake is a popular destination for hikers who have to walk for several hours to reach the place. It is the second largest boiling lake on Earth. (The largest is Frying Pan Lake in New Zealand.) A cloud of steam usually hovers over the lake, and depths, believed to be in excess of 60 meters, can fluctuate with rainfall.
Lake Kivu, Congo and Rwanda
Lake Kivu is located on the border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Rwanda. Its area is estimated to be more than 2,700 km², and its maximum depth exceeds 480 m. Like Lakes Monoun and Nyos in Cameroon, the Kivu has been emitting carbon dioxide, but recently this dangerous phenomenon has not been observed. Scientists have found evidence suggesting such emissions occurred about once every millennium. Due to the amount of CO2 and methane in the lake, as well as the densely populated coastline, the "limnological disaster" will take the lives of many more people than the two disasters in Cameroon.
Energy companies extract methane from the lake for use as fuel. This has helped to meet Rwanda's rapidly evolving energy needs as well as reduce the risk of a future eruption. However, there are questions as to whether production will upset the current pressure balance that traps deadly gases deep underwater. In the Congo, the need for energy makes the gases of Lake Kivu an attractive source of energy, despite the potential risks.
Quilotoa, Ecuador
Lake Quilotoa was formed in the 13th century due to a massive volcanic eruption. This body of water is known for its picturesque turquoise color. It is difficult to get to because the lake is in a difficult area, at an altitude of 3914 m. Most people visit the lake as part of a multi-day hike in the mountainous surroundings.
The greatest danger for tourists is usually altitude sickness. Some of the trails around the lake are prone to erosion, so falls are also a problem. Due to the high acidity, there are no living organisms in the lake. Some believe swimming is dangerous due to acidity, while others say colder temperatures at this altitude will harm swimmers before the acid does any damage. Tourists can take a motor boat cruise on the lake, rent a canoe or kayak.
Mount Rainier Crater, Washington, USA
The crater lake at the top of Mount Rainier is always covered in snow and ice. The lake can only be reached through a cave. These ice caves can prove deadly as they contain hazardous gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Scientists who are studying and trying to map a cave system must have equipment to track gas emissions to avoid potentially hazardous situations.
The sulfuric acid found in the crater lake literally eats volcanic rocks. Why do people visit such an inhospitable place? Mount Rainier is popular with climbers who often take refuge in caves when the weather at the summit worsens. In addition to volcanologists and explorers, the caves also attract scientists who want to learn about the living organisms that inhabit this harsh environment.
Lake Karachay, Russia
Lake Karachay, located in the Chelyabinsk Region, Russia, is the most polluted place on earth. It was used for the disposal of radioactive waste from the Mayak production association. Radiation levels were so high that in the early 1990s, anyone who stood by the lake could live for no more than 60 minutes.
In an attempt to control the fallout, authorities began filling the lake with cement. This project began in 1986 and appears to have been somewhat successful. Nearby communities are seeing a decline in radiation-related illnesses and birth defects, and downstream rivers have become significantly cleaner. However, the project to test local groundwater is still at an early stage, and parts of the lake, which are largely cemented, remain highly polluted.
The world is 70% water, we drink it, bathe in it, grow food with it, and we just exist thanks to it. But some bodies of water are very dangerous. We present to your attention a list of lakes and rivers that can seriously harm or even kill a person.
The Rio Tinto is one of the rivers with the highest acidity levels, with a pH of 2 at best, which is roughly equal to the acidity level in the human gastrointestinal tract. This is enough to kill any fish that dares to swim into this river. In all likelihood, the same thing threatens a person. Water is dangerous because of a special bacteria that lives in it. Similar substances have been found on Mars, prompting scientists to wonder if the key to the Red Planet's mystery lies in this river. So far, this is just a pipe dream, but without a doubt you should be afraid of Rio Tinto as well as an angry grizzly, because both the river and the animal are among those who are pleasant to watch, but it is better not to touch.
Whoever came up with the name for this place did not have to think for a long time: the Boiling Lake fully justifies its name. The lake was first discovered by two Englishmen in 1870. Five years later, it was possible to measure the temperature in the lake, which ranged from 82 to 91.5 degrees Celsius. That alone is enough to get you burned, but that's the temperature at the edge of the lake. In the center, it is much higher - so much so that it is even impossible to measure it without the measuring one being welded alive.
300 meters of Lake Kivu is a time bomb. About 250 cubic kilometers of carbon dioxide and 65 cubic kilometers of methane are hidden in the depths of this lake. It can flood all nearby settlements, taking thousands of lives. So far, the gas is harmless, but one volcanic eruption is enough (and given that there are a lot of them there, this may well happen) for the gas to rise to the surface, destroying everything around.
The Chitarum is one of the most polluted rivers on earth. Due to the 500 factories located on the river bank, the lack of waste collection systems and a modern plumbing system, the river is so filled with garbage that the water itself is almost invisible underneath. This river can take many lives, but only through our fault. And this is the most important waterway in that area! Locals use the water for drinking, bathing and even cooking! Unfortunately, they have no other choice. They made their own bed and now they will have to sleep on it.
It is not pleasant enough to get infected with E. coli, but now imagine that you are swimming in water that is teeming with them. This is the reality for many of Johannesburg's rivers in South Africa, where levels of the bacteria E. coli exceed the legal limit, in some places up to 240 times. This problem will not go away, as local government officials actively deny it. Although when health experts say that drinking from this river means putting your life in mortal danger, then perhaps it would be worth listening to them ...
Too much water is not good either. Ask any Virginia resident close to the Blaewater River who has seen more flooding than anyone in the past few years. After 60 years of quiet existence, the Blackwater River has overflowed and flooded nearby cities about six times in the past 10 years. Fortunately, so far this has not resulted in the death of any of the residents, but it is just a matter of time if this continues. And unfortunately, no one can tell why the Blackwater is spilled so often. Whatever the reason, the locals are determined to find out so that they can finally stop worrying about the fact that everything they lived with will be carried away again by the torrent of the river.
The Tualatin River in Oregon is not the best place to go swimming with your pet: every year animals are killed in the river by poisonous blue-green algae. Algae, which is actually nothing more than a deadly bacterium, grows rapidly, filling the water with a deceptively beautiful turquoise color. Those unfortunate people who have plunged into this river will at best expect weakness and diarrhea, and at worst, paralysis and even death.
Like a supermodel with a bomb hidden under her dress, Lake Karachay in Russia is beautiful but deadly. It is the most radioactive body of water in the entire world. It has been the main burial site for nuclear waste since the 90s. The lake is so toxic that you can die without even touching the water. Just by standing on the shore of the lake for about an hour, you will receive 600 X-rays. By comparison, most people die from 500 x-ray radiation. Every effort is now being made to tackle this problem, and recently tests have shown either low or no radiation. Maybe in 500 years people will even be able to swim in this lake. May be….
Bel Forsh is not a boiling, poisonous and not radioactive river, but nevertheless it poses a huge danger. She has already claimed several lives. In 2010, a father, along with his daughter and a friend, drowned when the rapid rapids threw them out of the boat. A few years later, another incident was reported that almost attracted the death of a person, again due to the rushing current and dangerous rapids. Although this river rarely attracts the attention of the press, it can still be considered quite dangerous.
Although most people know this river only for the fact that Washington, DC is located on it, the legendary river has another feature - it often takes lives of people. From Great Falls to Chain Bridge, the river forms a series of rapids and waterfalls that sweep the victims 1.5 km away in a bubbling stream. Approximately 6 people per year die in the waters of the Potomac River and even more people risk their lives simply by playing on the banks of the river. It is so dangerous that the local authorities launched a campaign to warn the public, using the most intelligible wording: "If you go into this river, you will die."
When we hear the word "lake", a picture appears in our imagination - a wonderful place to relax, where you can swim and fish. However, this is not always the case. Some lakes are fearful and terrifying. And there are reasons for this.
Lake Empty (Russia)
Its location is the Kuznetsk Alatau region located in Western Siberia. Lake Empty is a fresh and ecologically clean water body of continental origin, because it is completely free of chemicals. Many scientists have repeatedly conducted studies of the water from the lake, which have never yet confirmed the presence of any toxic components in it.
The lake has clean water, which is suitable for drinking, and resembles champagne, as it is dominated by perfectly safe bubbles of natural gases. However, researchers have not been able to determine the reason why there is no fish in the lake.
In the vicinity of Lake Empty, there have never been environmental disasters and extreme technical accidents that pollute the reservoir. In terms of chemical composition, its water does not differ from the nearest reservoirs of the reserve, which are distinguished by an abundance of fish resources. Moreover, the reservoir feeds several fresh, clean water bodies in the vicinity, the fact that there is fish in them will give a special mystery to what is happening in these dreams.
There were several attempts to launch unpretentious fish species of pike, perch and crucian carp into the reservoir. Each of them ended in failure, the fish died, the aquatic plants rotted. And today there are no grass and birds on the shores of the reservoir, there are no fish or fry in the water, the lake protects its mysteries.
Why are there no fish in the lake?
Samples from the Kuznetsk reservoir were studied by chemists from the USA, Great Britain and Germany. However, none of them was able to put forward a sensible version explaining the absence of fish in the reservoir. To the questions of the inhabitants, what is happening with the Kuznetsk reservoir, scientists are not yet able to answer.
However, scientists repeat attempts to explain the extraordinary phenomenon of the Empty Lake with enviable frequency. There are many who wish to visit the shores of the unusual lake, tourists come here and stay for the night. Some of them dream of touching the mystery of nature and solving it.
Lake of Death (Italy)
Our world is amazing and beautiful, its nature can be endlessly admired and enjoyed. But besides this, there are places on our Earth that sometimes lead us to bewilderment. Among such places is the Lake of Death on the island of Sicily. This lake can be classified as one of the phenomena and unique natural phenomena. The name itself suggests that this lake is deadly for all living things. Any living organism that got into this lake will inevitably die.
This lake is the most dangerous on our planet. The lake is absolutely lifeless and there are no living organisms in it. The shores of the lake are deserted and lifeless, nothing grows here. Everything is connected with the fact that any living creature that enters the aquatic environment immediately dies. If a person decides to swim in this lake, then in just a few minutes he will dissolve in the lake.
When information about this place appeared in the scientific world, a scientific expedition was immediately sent there to study this phenomenon. The lake discovered its secrets with great difficulty. The water analyzes carried out showed that the composition of the lake's aquatic environment contains a large amount of concentrated sulfuric acid. Scientists were not immediately able to figure out where the sulfuric acid comes from in the lake. Scientists have put forward several hypotheses on this matter.
The first hypothesis was that at the bottom of the lake there are rocks that, when washed out by water, are enriched with acid. But further study of the lake showed that at the bottom of the lake there are two springs that release concentrated sulfuric acid into the water environment of the lake. This explains why any organic matter dissolves in the lake.
Dead Lake (Kazakhstan)
There is an abnormal lake in Kazakhstan that attracts the attention of many people. It is located in the Taldykurgan region, the village of Gerasimovka. Its dimensions are not large, only 100x60 meters. This body of water is called the Dead. The fact is that there is nothing in the lake, neither algae nor fish. Its water is unusually icy.
The low temperature of the water remains even when the sun is strong outside. People are constantly drowning there. Scuba divers, for some unknown reason, begin to choke after three minutes of diving. Locals do not advise anyone to go there, and they themselves bypass this anomalous place.
Blue Lake (Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia)
Blue karst abyss in Kabardino-Balkaria. Not a single river or stream flows into this lake, although every day it loses up to 70 million liters of water, but its volume and depth do not change at all. The blue color of the lake is due to the high content of hydrogen sulfide in the water. There are no fish here at all.
The fact that no one has been able to figure out its depth makes this lake creepy. The fact is that the bottom consists of an extensive system of caves. Researchers have still not been able to figure out what the lower point of this karst lake is. It is believed that under the Blue Lake there is the largest system of underwater caves in the world.
Boiling Lake (Dominican Republic)
The name speaks for itself. Located in Dominica, the beautiful Caribbean, this lake is actually the second largest natural hot spring on earth. The water temperature in the boiling lake reaches 90 degrees Celsius and there are hardly any people who want to check the temperature of the source on their own skin. It is enough to look at the photos and it becomes clear that the water is practically boiling here. The temperature cannot be controlled because it is the result of a crack in the bottom of the lake through which hot lava is spewing out.
Lake Powell (USA)
Despite its common name (Horseshoe), Lake Powell near Mammoth Lakes is a fearsome killer. The city of Mammoth Lakes was built on top of an active volcano, which is not the best location. However, the lake was considered safe for many years. But about 20 years ago, the trees around Horse's Horseshoe began to dry up and die abruptly.
After ruling out all possible diseases, scientists decided that the trees were choking on the excessive levels of carbon dioxide slowly oozing through the ground from underground chambers of cooling magma. In 2006, three tourists took refuge in a cave near a lake and suffocated from carbon dioxide.
Lake Karachay (Russia)
Located in the beautiful Ural Mountains of Russia, this deep blue lake is one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the world. During a secret government project, for many years starting in 1951, the lake was used as a dumping ground for radioactive waste.
This place is so toxic that a 5-minute visit can make a person nauseous, and a longer visit of an hour is guaranteed to be fatal. During a drought in 1961, the wind carried toxic dust that affected 500,000 people - a tragedy comparable to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Definitely one of the most polluted places on Earth.
Lake Kivu (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
This lake is located on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, with large layers of carbon dioxide at the base of the volcanic rock, as well as 55 billion cubic meters of methane at the bottom. This explosive combination makes Lake Kivu the deadliest of the three exploding lakes in the world. Any earthquake or volcanic activity can pose a lethal threat to the 2 million people living in this region. They can die from both methane explosions and carbon dioxide asphyxiation.
Lake Michigan (Canada)
Of the five Great Lakes bordering Canada and the United States, Lake Michigan is the deadliest. The warm, attractive lake is a popular holiday destination for numerous tourists, despite its dangerous underwater currents, which claim at least several lives every year.
The shape of Lake Michigan makes it particularly prone to dangerous currents that arise spontaneously and abruptly. The lake becomes more dangerous in the fall, October and November, when there are sudden and significant changes in water and air temperature. In this case, the height of the waves can reach several meters.
Lake Mono (USA)
One of the most developed ecosystems in the world, Lake Mono is located in the California county of the same name. This ancient salt lake has no fish, but trillions of bacteria and small algae thrive in its unique waters. Until 1941, this strikingly beautiful lake was healthy and strong. But Los Angeles intervened, which was just beginning its giant growth spurt. The city drained the tributaries of the lake, which began to dry up.
This scandalous destruction of natural resources continued for nearly 50 years and when it was halted in 1990, Lake Mono had already lost half of its volume and its salinity had doubled. Mono became a toxic alkaline lake filled with carbonates, chlorides and sulfates. Los Angeles decided to correct its mistake, but the restoration project will take decades.
Lake Manoun (Cameroon)
Located in the Oku Volcanic Field in Cameroon, Lake Monoun appears to be a perfectly normal body of water. But its appearance is deceiving, as it is one of three explosive lakes on earth. In 1984, Monoun exploded without warning, releasing a cloud of carbon dioxide and killing 37 people. Twelve of the victims were traveling in a truck and stopped to watch the aftermath of the explosion. It was at this moment that lethal gas did its job.
Lake Nyos (Cameroon)
In 1986, Lake Nyos, located just 100 kilometers from Lake Monoun, exploded after a magma eruption and released carbon dioxide, converting the water to carbonic acid. As a result of a powerful landslide, the lake abruptly emitted a giant cloud of carbon dioxide, killing thousands of people and animals in local cities and villages. The tragedy was the first known major natural asphyxiation. The lake continues to pose a threat because its natural wall is fragile, and even the slightest earthquake can destroy it.
Natron (Tanzania)
Lake Natron in Tanzania not only kills its inhabitants, but also mummifies their bodies. On the shores of the lake there are mummified flamingos, small birds, bats. The most eerie thing is that the victims freeze in their natural positions with their heads raised. It was as if they froze for a moment and remained so forever. The water in the lake is bright red due to microorganisms living in it, closer to the shore it is already orange, and in some places it is of a normal color.
Vapors from the lake scare off large predators, and the absence of natural enemies attracts a huge number of birds and small animals. They live on the banks of the Natron, reproduce, and after death they mummify. A large amount of hydrogen contained in water and an increased alkalinity contribute to the release of soda, salt and lime. They do not allow the remains of the inhabitants of the lake to decompose.
Water gives life to all living things, but it also happens that it is water that becomes the weapon of murder. There are many deadly bodies of water on our planet that you should stay away from. In our review, we will focus on some of them.
1. Lake Karachay (Chelyabinsk region, Russia)
Lake Karachay, famous for its radioactive waters, is located not far from the Mayak chemical plant in the Urals. This production facility produces nuclear fuel, components of nuclear weapons, and utilizes waste. Since the 1950s, thousands of tons of radioactive waste have been dumped into the lake. Anyone staying on the lake for more than an hour risked a lethal dose of radiation. This made Karachay one of the most deadly places on the planet.
Due to the drying up of the lake and the spread of the most dangerous radioactive dust, it was decided to remove it. Having spent 17 billion rubles, in 2015 the lake was finally filled with concrete and covered with soil. But still, this is definitely not the best place to stay.
2. Boiling Lake (Dominica)
The hottest in the world is the Boiling Lake on the island of Dominica. It is located in the Valley of Despair. The water in it reaches a temperature of 92 degrees Celsius.
During the rainy season, the temperature can drop to 10 degrees, but even then, swimming is strictly prohibited. Hot springs continue to gush under the water, and lava may even flow. It is as common as the water level at times drops sharply and then rises rapidly again. All this madness is the result of volcanic activity.
3. River Tsitarum (West Java, Indonesia)
Providing water to approximately 28 million people, Indonesia's Citarum River is also one of the most polluted rivers in the world, if not the dirtiest. This is because hundreds of industrial enterprises have made it a habit to pollute water by dumping textile waste and garbage.
Local families who once lived by fishing have switched to collecting recyclables from the river, such as plastic bottles, rubber gloves, and even broken chair legs. But the future doesn't look all bleak. In 2011, a $ 4 billion 15-year project was launched to save the river and people who depend on it.
4. Rio Tinto (Andalusia, Spain)
Around 3000 BC in areas around the Rio Tinto (Rio Tinto, Red River) in southern Spain, rich deposits of gold, silver, copper and other valuable minerals began to be exploited. Since then, the water has been contaminated with heavy metals, mining chemicals and acids.
As a result, the waters of the river acquired a flashy red color. Surprisingly, they are not devoid of life. There are bacteria that can live in extreme conditions.
5. Blue Lagoon (Derbyshire, UK)
The Blue Lagoon in England is actually a former quarry that was flooded after it closed. And this is the last place where I would like to go to relax and swim with my family. The water is tinted turquoise with calcite, which is washed out of the limestone rock. And calcium oxides increase the alkalinity of water to dangerous levels.
The water contains a lot of rubbish, but the locals do not refuse to swim in the Blue Lagoon. In their opinion, if you do not dive headlong, then there will be no harm to health.
6. Lake Horseshoe (California, USA)
California is home to sun, surf, and poisonous lakes such as Horseshoe Lake in the Mammoth Lakes region. Horseshoe emits high concentrations of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Harmful gases are generated by underground volcanoes throughout the area.
The toxic mixture of gases has already destroyed 170 hectares of trees, and even people died. In 1998, a healthy 58-year-old tourist died, and in 2006, three park patrol workers.
7. Lake Mono (California, USA)
Lake Mono, also located in California, is one of the oldest lakes in the United States, and one of the deadliest. In the absence of flowing rivers, due to evaporation, the water level decreases, and a large amount of salt is deposited in the lake. This makes it three times the salinity of the oceans and gives it a pH balance of 10. While salt led to the amazing limestone tuff columns, it also made the lake much more dangerous.
Microscopic shrimps, flies and some types of algae are the only inhabitants of the reservoir. Any birds cannot live long if they choose to get drunk. Of course, water is not always toxic, as the toxicity varies with depth and season.
8. Lake Kivu (between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Lake Kivu in East Africa is not scary because of its location or water composition. It is deadly due to the huge amount of methane and carbon dioxide contained in the bottom. By themselves, these gases are harmless, but they can immediately come to the surface during a volcanic eruption or earthquake. Since there are many volcanoes in this area, the ticking of a time bomb can be heard from Lake Kivu. There is a constant danger of methane explosion or carbon dioxide suffocation of two million people living in the vicinity. Also, the disaster can be caused by some kind of violation when trying to extract these gases. The first rigs for producing methane from this richest deposit have already been installed on the lake.
Amazingly, the brightest and most attractive rivers and lakes are so deadly. See even more striking photos.
Few things are as fresh and soothing as the clear waters of a lake. Beautiful lakes delight and beckon to you, and the thrill of diving in deep, calm water is incomparable with anything else in the world. But as many beautiful, seductive gifts of nature are in the world, there are just as many lakes that pose a mortal danger. This danger lies in creatures hiding in the depths, in poisonous gases and radiation, and other harmful factors. Sometimes such lakes appear due to the fault of man, but often it is also the result of the work of Mother Nature. I present to you a selection of the most dangerous lakes in the world.
Boiling lake
The name speaks for itself. Located in Dominica, a beautiful Caribbean island, this lake is actually the second largest natural hot spring on earth. The water temperature in the boiling lake reaches 90 degrees Celsius and there are hardly any people who want to check the temperature of the source on their own skin. It is enough to look at the photos and it becomes clear that the water is practically boiling here. The temperature cannot be controlled because it is the result of a crack in the bottom of the lake through which hot lava is spewing out.
Lake Powell
Despite its common name (Horseshoe), Lake Powell near Mammoth Lakes is a fearsome killer. The city of Mammoth Lakes was built on top of an active volcano, which is not the best location. However, the lake was considered safe for many years. But about 20 years ago, the trees around Horse's Horseshoe began to dry up and die abruptly. After ruling out all possible diseases, scientists decided that the trees were choking on the excessive levels of carbon dioxide slowly oozing through the ground from underground chambers of cooling magma. In 2006, three tourists took refuge in a cave near a lake and suffocated from carbon dioxide.
Lake Karachay
Located in the beautiful Ural Mountains of Russia, this deep blue lake is one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the world. During a secret government project, for many years starting in 1951, the lake was used as a dumping ground for radioactive waste. This place is so toxic that a 5-minute visit can make a person nauseous, and a longer visit of an hour is guaranteed to be fatal. During a drought in 1961, the wind carried toxic dust that affected 500,000 people - a tragedy comparable to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Definitely one of the most polluted places on Earth.
Lake Kivu
This lake is located on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, with large layers of carbon dioxide at the base of the volcanic rock, as well as 55 billion cubic meters of methane at the bottom. This explosive combination makes Lake Kivu the deadliest of the three exploding lakes in the world. Any earthquake or volcanic activity can pose a lethal threat to the 2 million people living in this region. They can die from both methane explosions and carbon dioxide asphyxiation.
Lake Michigan
Of the five Great Lakes bordering Canada and the United States, Lake Michigan is the deadliest. The warm, attractive lake is a popular holiday destination for numerous tourists, despite its dangerous underwater currents, which claim at least several lives every year. The shape of Lake Michigan makes it particularly prone to dangerous currents that arise spontaneously and abruptly. The lake becomes more dangerous in the fall, October and November, when there are sudden and significant changes in water and air temperature. In this case, the height of the waves can reach several meters.
Lake Mono
One of the most developed ecosystems in the world, Lake Mono is located in the California county of the same name. This ancient salt lake has no fish, but trillions of bacteria and small algae thrive in its unique waters. Until 1941, this strikingly beautiful lake was healthy and strong. But Los Angeles intervened, which was just beginning its giant growth spurt. The city drained the tributaries of the lake, which began to dry up. This scandalous destruction of natural resources continued for nearly 50 years and when it was halted in 1990, Lake Mono had already lost half of its volume and its salinity had doubled. Mono became a toxic alkaline lake filled with carbonates, chlorides and sulfates. Los Angeles decided to correct its mistake, but the restoration project will take decades.
Lake Manun
Located in the Oku Volcanic Field in Cameroon, Lake Monoun appears to be a perfectly normal body of water. But its appearance is deceiving, as it is one of three explosive lakes on earth. In 1984, Monoun exploded without warning, releasing a cloud of carbon dioxide and killing 37 people. Twelve of the victims were traveling in a truck and stopped to watch the aftermath of the explosion. It was at this moment that lethal gas did its job.
Lake Nyos
In 1986, Lake Nyos, located just 100 kilometers from Lake Monoun, exploded after a magma eruption and released carbon dioxide, converting the water to carbonic acid. As a result of a powerful landslide, the lake abruptly emitted a giant cloud of carbon dioxide, killing thousands of people and animals in local cities and villages. The tragedy was the first known major natural asphyxiation. The lake continues to pose a threat because its natural wall is fragile, and even the slightest earthquake can destroy it.
Lake of the Ozark
While Lake Ozark seems like a serene getaway with cool breezes and chirping birds, the opposite is true. Without any water guards, large racing boats and cruisers zip through the area at great speed, posing a deadly threat to smaller boats and bathers. Fatal accidents occur here every year. To make matters worse, colonies of E. coli were found here, in part due to a local restaurant dumping sewage into a lake. Lake of the Ozarks is ranked as the third most dangerous waterway in America, after the Atlantic Ocean and the Colorado River.
