A video of a beach turning blood red amid heavy rainfall has evoked mixed feelings of horror and amazement among people. Some social media users floated theories of extreme weather or unexplained phenomena, but the truth is rather simple. This truly unique scene results from a particular type of soil present in the region.
The video captured people’s attention a few days ago despite being originally posted last month. A tour guide shared it on Instagram. When translated from Persian into English, the caption posted along with the video reads, “The start of the heavy rain of the famous Red Beach of Hormoz. Serasima tourists seeing this rain is amazing.”
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In the video, torrential rain carries crimson soil down to the beach. When that mixes with the seawater, the tides, too, turn bright red.
Take a look at the video here:
Where is the beach located?
It is the 'rainbow island' in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran. The region remains largely undisturbed as the entire region is sparsely inhabited.
When does the “blood rain” phenomenon happen?
{{/usCountry}}It is the 'rainbow island' in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran. The region remains largely undisturbed as the entire region is sparsely inhabited.
When does the “blood rain” phenomenon happen?
{{/usCountry}}This is a year-round attraction that the tourists visiting this place, located miles from the Iranian mainland, can witness.
What causes the red colour?
According to an Iranian tourism board, as reported by CNN, the red colour is caused by the high concentration of iron oxide in the soil. The minerals in the soil further get mixed with the sea water, leading to a unique reddish glow in the beach.
Is the soil valuable?
As per Dailymail, the 'gelack' soil is used across different industries. It is used for industrial purposes, cosmetics, dyeing, ceramics, and glass. Citing a local tourist board, the outlet further reported that the soil is used in local cuisine - mainly to make jams and sauces.
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Is it a good tourist destination?
According to the Iran Tourism and Touring Organisation, as cited by Dailymail, “Walking along the shore you will encounter parts where sand glitters with metal compounds, especially mesmerising at sunset or sunrise.”
“The soil color around you keeps changing as you walk or ride and you can visit a unique red edible soil and other 70 colorful minerals in Hormuz Island,” the board continued.
Videos from the beach have earlier been shared with false claims. Last year, a clip capturing the blood-red view went viral with the claim that the colour resulted from an extreme weather condition.