This stunning image of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela was captured by a satellite from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission. However, the beautiful colors of the lake have a disturbing origin.
Lake Maracaibo is the largest natural body of water in South America, covering an area of around 13,500 square kilometers. It is also one of the oldest lakes on Earth, dating back approximately 36 million years. The lake is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela via a narrow strait in the north.
The northern part of the lake, which is connected to the Caribbean Sea, appears more saline compared to the fresher waters in the south, which come from rivers. In the image, we can see the Catatumbo river in the bottom left, carrying brownish-yellow sediment into the lake along with freshwater.
Maracaibo, Venezuela’s second largest city and known as its oil capital, is located to the west of the strait. To the east, below the strait, lies the city of Cabimas, another important oil-producing area.
The vibrant jade-colored swirls in the lake are caused by contamination from these cities and other areas, including oil leaks and sewage run-off. These swirls are toxic blooms of blue-green algae that thrive in the pollution, posing a serious risk to the surrounding ecosystem and the people living around the lake.
Scientists are closely monitoring pollution levels through the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission to assess the threat to both health and the environment.
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