The Deadly Lake That Took 1,600 Lives in a Year

Cameroon, Africa: Lake Nyos may seem innocent and picturesque, but its beauty is deceiving. In 1986, a group of farmers living near the lake witnessed a bizarre event when the lake emitted a loud explosion accompanied by a geyser, and soon after, a thick cloud of orange-red vapors appeared above it. Initially, the locals paid little attention, but when they saw the cloud wasn't dissipating, they began dispatching teams to investigate. 

Lake Nyos, Africa (Photo: Wikipedia)

However, tragically, anyone who approached the cloud and inhaled its vapors suffocated to death. The winds carried the cloud's fumes to nearby settlements, causing the death of around 1,600 people, along with over 3,500 sheep and goats. Later research revealed that this lake absorbs massive levels of carbon dioxide, which eventually turns the water into a deadly carbonic acid.