The mystery had everyone scratching their heads and asking: "Why is the lake pink?"
This week, photos emerged on social media of a pink lake in Ras Al Khaimah and quickly caught the attention of residents across the UAE.
Now scientists have an answer for the natural oddity.
Environmental experts analysed samples from the small pool to find what turned the water pink.
Dr Saif Al Ghais, director general of the Environment Protection and Development Authority in Ras Al Khaimah, told the The National red algae caused the water discolouration.
He said the salinity levels were extremely high too, almost four times that of seawater.
Drone images of the unusually fluorescent mini lake were first shared on social media by student Ammar Al Farsi.
Located just a stone's throw from the shoreline at Al Rams beach on Saraya Islands, the water appeared bright pink against the beige sands.
“We took samples from the lake [on Wednesday] and received the results this morning,” Dr Al Ghais said.
"The salinity of the water measures 208, while seawater levels usually sit between 38 and 39.
"It is very saline water which is why the algae is growing in it and feeding off the nutrients."
This has not happened as a result of pollution or an oil spill, it is a natural phenomenon.
He said they were still uncertain as to the exact species of algae because there are more than 4,000 in existence.
Before the laboratory results were concluded, Dr Al Ghais said the colour change was probably related to red algae, which is a bloom of algae that usually occurs in coastal areas when there is magnesium in the water.
In this latest discovery, the salt-heavy waterbed formed as a result of evaporation, which is often recorded in areas of low and high tides, called sabkhas.
A term typically used by Earth scientists, a sabkha is a coastal sandflat in which saline minerals accumulate as the result of the arid climate.
“In most cases, the bloom stays for only a short period of time until it consumes all the nutrients from the water then starts to die off," Dr Al Ghais said.
"When we visited yesterday you could see a change in the water colour, which shows it is already dying off.
"This kind of marine growth is typically recorded once a year in areas like Al Rams.
"This has not happened as a result of pollution or an oil spill, it is a natural phenomenon."
Any time the authority is alerted to something like this, he said, they immediately dispatch a team to the site to test the water and surrounding environment.
Such formations have been recorded in the lakes in the Al Muzahmi protected area before.
On Wednesday, The National visited the site at Al Rams beach, which was about 20 metres wide and 50 metres long.
Local resident Mohammed Ahmed, 21, said since the image of the lake went viral, many people had visited the beach.
“This collection of water has been here for a long time but I never thought to take a picture and share it on social media,” he said.
“If you get down close to the water you can see a layer of sea salt under the pink-looking water.
“I don’t know what caused the colour change, some say algae, some say pollution maybe, but as someone who lives near by it will be good to know the results, because I visit the beach a lot.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Mountain Classification Tour de France after Stage 8 on Saturday:
- 1. Lilian Calmejane (France / Direct Energie) 11
- 2. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana) 10
- 3. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Quick-Step) 8
- 4. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / LottoNL) 8
- 5. Warren Barguil (France / Sunweb) 7
- 6. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 6
- 7. Guillaume Martin (France / Wanty) 6
- 8. Jan Bakelants (Belgium / AG2R) 5
- 9. Serge Pauwels (Belgium / Dimension Data) 5
- 10. Richie Porte (Australia / BMC Racing) 4
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
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The bio
Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist
Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi
Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup
Hobbies: Reading and drawing
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Afcon 2019
SEMI-FINALS
Senegal v Tunisia, 8pm
Algeria v Nigeria, 11pm
Matches are live on BeIN Sports
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Match info
Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)
Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Five ways to get fit like Craig David (we tried for seven but ran out of time)
Start the week as you mean to go on. So get your training on strong on a Monday.
Train hard, but don’t take it all so seriously that it gets to the point where you’re not having fun and enjoying your friends and your family and going out for nice meals and doing that stuff.
Think about what you’re training or eating a certain way for — don’t, for example, get a six-pack to impress somebody else or lose weight to conform to society’s norms. It’s all nonsense.
Get your priorities right.
And last but not least, you should always, always chill on Sundays.
