Maharashtra’s Lonar Lake, also the world’s third largest crater that was formed because of a meteorite strike, has mysteriously adopted a pinkish hue. The colour of the lake typically appears to be shades of emerald green. This has prompted scientists to delve deeper into the cause, and have started an investigation.
Revealing more about this, Lonar Tehsildar Saifan Nadf said that since the past 2-3 days, the lake’s water seemed to be changing. He added that the Forest Department has collected samples of the water to determine the cause.
As per the reports, the probable reason for this might be because of the action of Halobacteria and fungus Salina. Another reason cited is that it might be because of the weather changes that have been caused by the cyclonic formation and water level in Lonar Lake going down. Also, as per Gajanan Kharat, who is a member of the Lonar Lake Conservation and Development Committee, the mysterious change in the lake’s colour might be probably because of the proliferation of special algae in the lake. As of now, there is no definitive evidence to support this case.
#LonarLake currently. Wonders of the nature. @YaleBlueGreen @YaleFES @YaleE360
•#biodiversity #saltwaterlake #brilliantbuldhana pic.twitter.com/84l782FVwq— Suman Rawat Chandra, IAS (@oiseaulibre3) June 10, 2020
Although this is not the first time that the scientists have noted the lake changing its colour, they were surprised at the intensity of the phenomenon this time around.
The lake is one of the popular tourist attractions and also attracts many scientists from across the globe. Believed to be formed some 50000 years ago, when a meteorite crashed into Earth, it’s highly alkaline and saline in nature, which makes it a one-of-its-kind in the world.
Anyway, the photos of the lake have now gone viral on social media platforms. If you have not yet seen this, check it here.