A Russian beauty spot known as the Siberian Seychelles where people flock to pose beside crystal blue waters has been revealed as a dangerous toxic dumping ground.
The lake near Russia’s third largest city Novosibirsk has become a magnet for Instagram fans looking for idyllic beach pictures and videos.
But the stunning turquoise waters and dazzling white sand are not all they seem – and pose a serious danger to health.
Magical scenery known as the Siberian Seychelles – popular with Instagram fans – has been revealed as a pollution nightmare
This lake near Russia’s third largest city Novosibirsk has become a magnet to Instagram fans for idyllic beach pictures and videos
The glamorous paradise images defy the bone-cracking stereotypes of Siberia
The stunning turquoise waters and dazzling white sand are not all they seem
This tropical-looking landscape in a place where winter temperatures plunge to minus 40C is entirely created by a nearby brown coal-boring power plant generating electricity, it has been revealed.
And the young models posing in swim wear have been warned they risk their health by venturing in or near the chemical cocktail in this ‘paradise’ also known as the Russian Maldives.
Its name is translated as Lake Ash Dump – and it receives the waste from the nearby power station named TPP-5 and owned by the Siberian Generating Company.
The bright blue water has a high PH and contains dissolved metal oxides
This ‘paradise’ is also referred to as the Russian Maldives (Pictured: Woman poses for photo sitting cross legged by the water)
Its name is translated as Lake Ash Dump (Picture: Woman poses for photo in a red swimsuit with lake in the background)
The company is owned by 47-year-old tycoon Andrey Melnichenko – worth £10.75 billion – and famed for his ocean-going Sailing Yacht A and Motor Yacht A.
The electric blue waters of the lake are formed by a chemical reaction from the waste of the power plant.
The company warned: ‘We beg you not to fall into the ash dump in the pursuit of selfies. That is the biggest danger.’
The company warned: ‘We beg you not to fall into the ash dump in the pursuit of selfies’
Swimming is probated and visitors flocking to the tropical-looking site are warned by the company that strolling along the beach here ‘is like walking at a military training ground – dangerous and undesirable’
They are told: ‘This is not a city beach – there are no lifeguards on the shore’
The company is owned by 47 year old tycoon Andrey Melnichenko – worth £10.75 billion – and famed for his ocean-going Sailing Yacht A and Motor Yacht A
Swimming is probated and visitors flocking to the tropical-looking site are warned by the company that strolling along the beach here ‘is like walking at a military training ground – dangerous and undesirable’.
They are told: ‘This is not a city beach – there are no lifeguards on the shore and there cannot be…
‘The water in the ash dump is not for drinking, but technical, that is, it contains dissolved salts of calcium and other metal oxides, as well as high pH.
‘This water is used only to transport ash.
‘Skin contact with such water may cause local allergic reactions due to high mineralisation.’
Visitors are warned: ‘This water is used only to transport ash. Skin contact with such water may cause local allergic reactions due to high mineralisation’
Authorities are seeking to keep the flood of visitors away from the lake
The waters pose a serious danger to health (Pictured: Woman poses in front of lake)
Ecological campaigner Ulyana Artamonova was filmed as if she was on a tropical beach but she said: ‘After visiting, my face was covered with a small rash’
There are denials that it poses a threat to life but the authorities are seeking to keep the flood of visitors away from the lake.
Ecological campaigner Ulyana Artamonova was filmed as if she was on a tropical beach but she said: ‘After visiting, my face was covered with a small rash.’
She suffered from ‘a dry throat and nose’.
She suffered from ‘a dry throat and nose’ (Pictured: Woman poses in front of lake)
There are denials that it poses a threat to life (Pictured: Man sits on inflatable unicorn in lake)
‘You just feel that this is not a safe place,’ said photographer Mikhail Reshetnikov
‘When you drive up to this lake, there is a very strong smell of laundry detergent, of alkali,’ Reshetnikov said
Visitors say that the soles of their sandals flake off after walking along the water line, reported the Siberian Times.
Photographer Mikhail Reshetnikov said: ‘When you drive up to this lake, there is a very strong smell of laundry detergent, of alkali…
‘Naturally, there is no desire to touch such water.
‘You just feel that this is not a safe place.’
Another local said: ‘It’s not Chernobyl, for sure, but still unsafe.’
Visitors say that the soles of their sandals flake off after walking along the water line, reported the Siberian Times
‘Naturally, there is no desire to touch such water,’ Reshetnikov said
Another local said: ‘It’s not Chernobyl, for sure, but still unsafe’ (Pictured: Woman poses with inflatable pink flamingo in front of lake)