A Russian river near the Arctic Circle seems to have turned blood red, with locals claiming the waste from a nickel plant is to blame.。

Pictures posted on VKontakte, the Russian equivalent to Facebook, and Instagram appear to show the river Daldykan near the city of Norilsk flowing a bright red color. 。

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An indigenous group linked the river's shade to a nickel-processing factory, Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant, belonging to Norilsk Nikel, the area's most important metals company.。

Some residents claimed the river is polluted by a discharge from the plant. Others said the color was caused by wastewater mixed with mineral ore leaking from the factory into the river.。

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However, the metals company denied that a leak of industrial waste took place in Norilsk. It added that helicopters are monitoring the area around the river to look for possible environmental hazards.。 The company even provided a local news agency,Tayga Info 。

The company even provided a local news agency,

Tayga Info。

, with a picture showing the river with normal colors.。