A large expanse of turquoise water appeared in the Tunisian desert like a mirage; in just one minute, in a place where, except for hot sand, there was nothing, writes The Guardian.
For local residents, languishing in the forty-degree heat, it became a temptation, as there was an unexpected opportunity to cool off. And soon all fears about the mysterious pool were overcome.
Hundreds of people began to flock to the body of water, which quickly became known as Lac de Gafsa or Gafsa. A beach appeared on the lake, and people began splashing, diving, and throwing themselves into the lake from rocks, ignoring warnings that the water could be contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals, harbor disease-causing bacteria, or perhaps even be radioactively contaminated. Even after the water turned cloudy green, people continued to arrive in droves.
“Some say a miracle happened, others call it a curse,” says Lakhdar Souid, a Tunisian journalist.
“For the first few days, the water was crystal clear and turquoise in color. It is now green and full of algae, which means the lake is no longer replenished with water."
The lake, which appeared three weeks ago, was discovered by shepherds. It is believed to be up to 18 meters deep and cover one hectare. Local geologists suspect that the reservoir arose due to seismic activity, perhaps a rupture occurred above the water table, which opened the passage of liquid to the surface of the rock.
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Other theories suggest that the canyon simply collected rainwater.