River in Argentina capital turns red, alarming residents

A canal in a suburb of Argentina's capital Buenos Aires turned bright red on Thursday, alarming local residents.

Pictures and videos show the intensely colored water flowing into an estuary, the Rio de la Plata, which borders an ecological reserve. Local media reports suggest the color may have been caused by the dumping of textile dye, or by chemical waste from a nearby depot.

The Environment Ministry said in a statement that water samples had been taken from the Sarandí canal to determine the cause of the color change. Residents have claimed that many local companies dispose of toxic waste in the waterway, which runs through an area of leather processing and textile factories some 10km from the centre of the capital.