Instagram influencers reportedly refuse to stop traveling to “Novosibirsk Maldives,” a lake government officials have continuously warned could be toxic.
The lake is located outside of the Russian city Novosibirsk and gets its name from its extremely bright blue water similar to the Maldives, according to a report published Wednesday by People magazine.
The lake has increased in popularity among Instagram influencers who enjoy snapping photos in front of the beautiful blue lake. However, the blue isn’t natural and the lake was man-made.
“The azure waters are not a natural phenomenon, but the product of an ash dump at a local coal plant,” the Moscow Times wrote in a post published Tuesday. The local coal plant, the Siberian Generating Company, issued a warning to tourists at the beginning of June. (RELATED: Instagram Model Has Doctor Declare Her Butt Is Actually Real)
“Walking in the ash dump is like walking on a military training ground: dangerous and undesired,” the company said at the time.
The dissolved calcium and metal oxides that create the blue color of the water could lead to allergic reactions, the Siberian Generating Company said.
These are the kind of people that ruin Instagram for everyone else. Who wants to visit a potentially dangerous lake just for the likes? That’s the most absurd thing I have ever heard. You can easily travel to a safe part of the world that has beautiful blue water and not potentially die.