Alaska's Rusting Rivers: 75 Sites Show Toxic Orange Waters Due to Melting Permafrost

Tejal Somvanshi Tejal Somvanshi

Alaska’s rivers are turning toxic orange due to melting permafrost, shocking scientists worldwide.

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Jon O'Donnell’s study reveals that 75 Alaskan sites now show dramatic chemical changes in the rivers.

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We started noticing more and more orange rivers," says Jon O'Donnell, highlighting the severity.

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Rivers with a pH as low as 2.3, similar to lemon juice, signal extreme acidity levels.

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Traces of iron, zinc, nickel, copper, and cadmium have been found in the altered river waters.

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The orange rivers, visible even from space, underline a significant environmental crisis.

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Melting permafrost is releasing toxic metals trapped for millennia into Alaska’s waterways.

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Fish migration to spawning areas is at risk due to the toxic and acidic conditions.

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Satellite images from as far back as 2008 show the extent of these alarming changes.

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