But what appears to be a perfectly natural lake with clear blue water is actually a man-made deep ash dump from a nearby coal plant. The lovely turquoise color is reportedly the result of dissolved calcium and metal oxides.
Although the Siberian Generating Company, which owns the plant, says the pond isn’t poisonous, it also cautions people against swimming in it. On its on social media, the company even wrote, “We beg you not to fall into the ash dump in the pursuit of selfies! That’s the biggest danger.”
That warning certainly hasn’t stopped people from diving in, or even paddle boarding across.
One Instagrammer, named Irina, told Mashable that while she has taken several Instagram photos at the site, she would never consider going in the water. “The whole periodic table is in [there],” she said. 