seeder Posted August 2, 2014 #1 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Mysterious lake appears in Tunisian desert The lake appeared in the Tunisian desert like a mirage; one minute there was nothing but scorching sand, the next a large expanse of turquoise water. For locals, roasting in the 40C heat, the temptation to cool off in the inviting water quickly overcame any fears about the mysterious pool. Hundreds flocked to what quickly became known as the Lac de Gafsa or Gafsa beach to splash, paddle, dive, and fling themselves from rocks into the lake, ignoring warnings that the water could be contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals, riddled with disease or possibly radioactive. Even after the water turned a murky green, they arrived in droves, undeterred. "Some say it is a miracle, while others are calling it a curse," Lakhdar Souid, a Tunisian journalist, told France 24 television. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/01/mysterious-lake-tunisian-desert-turquoise-green-sludge 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95-Nasty Posted August 2, 2014 #2 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Im sure the land developers will move in soon to build 'Holiday Homes' 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babe Ruth Posted August 2, 2014 #3 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Possibly contaminated and carcinogenic.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stereologist Posted August 2, 2014 #4 Share Posted August 2, 2014 I didn't bother to look, but it would be interesting to see if the body of water is on google earth. This reminds me of the mystery disappearing lake in Virginia. It was in the movie Dirty Dancing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Lake_%28Virginia%29 Mountain lake is an interesting and short read int he wiki but that does not cover the disappearing act it has: http://www.virginiaplaces.org/watersheds/mountainlake.html Even more unusual is that Mountain Lake completely disappears at times, leaving behind just a lake bottom that becomes a grassy meadow. When Christopher Gist came through the area in 1751 on his way to explore lands claimed by the Ohio Company, he was the first to record the existence of the lake. He wrote in his journal, with the precision of a surveyor recording directions of travel In 1768, settlers recorded just a spring in a valley with a grassy meadow. It was a good location for watering cattle and providing them salt as a dietary supplement, and the settlers named the location Salt Pond Mountain... but the "missing" lake caused the settlers to question the honesty of Gist's records of his explorations. Just 17 years later the lake was gone. The lake has come and gone several times since then and the refilling of the lake is associated with small earthquakes in the area. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeder Posted August 2, 2014 Author #5 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Being a natural phenomena, you can imagine what would have happened in ancient or biblical times if a lake appeared overnight, in the desert, as it did! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancient astronaut Posted August 2, 2014 #6 Share Posted August 2, 2014 I would air on the side of caution on this one. The old look (or test the water) before you leap adage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted August 2, 2014 #7 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Yeah, might seem inviting, and I fully understand how that could be. But, there is a suggested element of danger. Hope that get's figured out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Jim Posted August 2, 2014 #8 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Craters in Siberia, lakes in the desert. What's going on? The water should be easy enough to test for radioactivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted August 3, 2014 #9 Share Posted August 3, 2014 "Some say it is a miracle, while others are calling it a curse," LOL! I stubbed my toe and the next day this lake appeared. It's evil I tell you, EVIL! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rei4ever Posted August 4, 2014 #10 Share Posted August 4, 2014 So those people swimming might become *mutants* 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibeliever Posted August 4, 2014 #11 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Possibly contaminated and carcinogenic.... Even radioactive maybe! Yikes "This lake is located in an area rich in phosphate deposits, which leave residue that is sometimes strongly radioactive," said journalist Lakhdar Souid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllJay Posted August 4, 2014 #12 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Speaking of disappearing lakes - the Lake Peigneur was not a mystery, but it was a hell of a spectacle. Look at this gigantic whirlpool taking tugboats and barges with it>> http://youtu.be/0Wx-c0KW-XU I don't know why but sinkholes, for me, are alway a bit scary to watch - and especially when its in a lake. Look at this, the whole, long, trees just effin disappears >> http://youtu.be/a7cOSzEKvrQ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
:PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR: Posted August 5, 2014 #13 Share Posted August 5, 2014 So those people swimming might become *mutants* Tunisia is about to get their version of the X-men. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeder Posted August 5, 2014 Author #14 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Speaking of disappearing lakes - the Lake Peigneur was not a mystery, but it was a hell of a spectacle. Look at this gigantic whirlpool taking tugboats and barges with it>> [media=]http://youtu.be/0Wx-c0KW-XU[/media] I don't know why but sinkholes, for me, are alway a bit scary to watch - and especially when its in a lake. Look at this, the whole, long, trees just effin disappears >> This was a scary/interesting clip! Thanks for sharing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustTerri Posted August 6, 2014 #15 Share Posted August 6, 2014 thats pretty cool, but i would be careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucidElement Posted August 8, 2014 #16 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Any legitatment responses or ideas lol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Trinity Posted August 29, 2014 #17 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Surely this has to be a ground table of water that has found its way to the surface somehow? That would be my first thought given the clear lack of precipitation or other local water sources that could have flowed in this direction. I definitely wouldn't be swimming in it though! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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