Why Is China's Longest River Running Red?

When the third longest river in the world turns red, it's worth taking a moment to stop and make note of it.

The Yangtze River, the longest in China running through Chongquing, which ABC News describes as "Southwest China’s largest industrial and commercial center," turned a reddish-orange hue on Thursday.

Officials are looking into the cause of the color that was reported in being seen at other points of the river outside of Chonguing as well. The Daily Mail notes the contrast in color where the Jialin River meets up with the oddly colored Yangtze.

The Daily Mail reports some residents are taking up the colored liquid in plastic bottles to save.

This is not the first time this year that Chinese residents have been baffled by an unusual color affecting their natural environment. Last year, TheBlaze reported illegal dumping of a chemical turned the Jian River red in the Henan province. In June, residents in several Chinese provinces were also warned to stay indoors as a thick yellow haze permeated the atmosphere.

(H/T: Yahoo! News)