Locals alarmed as clear Japanese sea turns violent red

A previously crystal-clear sea in Japan turned a violent shade of red due to a leak from a local brewery.

No doubt locals were surprised at the sight of the water located in the city of Nago on the island of Okinawa, when the incident took place on Tuesday morning.

Footage and photos have been circulating on social media with people sharing their concerns since it's not every day you see a large body of water with this vibrant colour.

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The leak came from beer factory owned by Orion Breweries and this was caused by water used for cooling, which also contains a liquid called propylene glycol -- dyed red with food colouring - so fortunately this poses no danger or harm to humans.

The 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters on June 27, 2023, shows a river dyed red after coolant used in equipment to help with beer-making leaked into the water from the nearby beer brewery in the city of Nago, Okinawa prefecture.Photo by HANDOUT/The 11th Regional Coast Guard He/AFP via Getty Images

“The red does look venomous, but it’s a relief to learn it’s just food coloring and not likely to cause major damage,” a Twitter user wrote as per Japan Today.

The company have since come out with a statement where apologised for "causing enormous trouble and worry".

"We believe the leaked cooling water seeped through rainwater gutters into a river, and consequently turned the ocean red," it said.

Further good news is that there was “no major impact on the environment” expected from the leak, as per The Okinawa Timeswhich also reported that the leak was plugged on Tuesday at 9:30 am local time.

Though a Japanese Coast Guard spokesperson told CNN that the seawater near the brewery was still red as of Wednesday morning.

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