No corner on the planet can now boast of an ideal state of the environment: people are merciless to nature. But there are places that are especially shocking: first of all, this concerns rivers, from which we usually expect freshness and purity. In this article we will present a sad list of the most polluted rivers on earth.
Mississippi, USA
The delta of the largest river in North America (and the 4th longest in the world),
The greatest natural and economic resource of the United States is one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the world. Unfortunately, today the waters at the mouth of the Mississippi are increasingly called “dead zones”: along the entire route from the north to the south of the country, the river is filled with toxic waste such as nitrates, benzene and arsenic, sewage, petroleum products and simply garbage. Due to terrible pollution, the water at the mouth of the river is overgrown with algae, which absorb all the oxygen, and their dominance makes it impossible for any other organisms to survive.
Sarno, Italy
Known in ancient times as Sarnus, the Italian Sarno River today leads the ranking of the most polluted rivers in Europe. It originates on the slope of Vesuvius, flows through Pompeii to Naples and flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Sarno River has served as the waterway of southern Italy for centuries, and today its importance in the region is quite great. It is a pity that most of the riverbed is polluted by colossal volumes of industrial and agricultural waste, which are dumped into the water more and more every year. The river carries its muddy waters into the Gulf of Naples, which, in turn, poses a threat to the marine environment.
Marilao, Philippines
The condition of the river, which flows in the Philippine province of Bulacan, near the capital region of Metro Manila, is so depressing that the concerned government is forced to take serious measures to clean it up. In addition to traditional sources of pollution – toxic industrial waste, the water is overflowing with household waste. Tons of plastic bottles, bags, rubber slippers and other non-degradable items overwhelm the river, and sewage has made it a source of infection and a accumulation of pathogenic bacteria, so being on the water without protective equipment is strongly discouraged.
Huang He,
China
The second largest river in Asia and the sixth largest in the world, the Yellow River (as its name is translated) originates in the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, crosses the country and flows into the Bohai Bay of the Yellow Sea. The territories along the river are considered to be the cradle of the formation of Chinese civilization. The Yellow River, the main source of drinking water, today suffers from catastrophic pollution and more than a third of it is no longer suitable for human use, even in agriculture. According to a UN report, about 4.29 thousand tons of industrial waste and sewage fill the Yellow River every year. In Lanzhou City, the Yellow River suddenly turned red several years ago due to the release of unknown chemicals.
Jordan, Israel
When John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the waters of the Jordan, this legendary river was the pride of Israel. Today, on the banks there are signs “Baptism is prohibited due to pollution” and its condition is rather a reason for shame: instead of a transparent rapids with creeks and waterfalls, the Jordan, especially in the lower reaches, has turned into a sewer. In 1964, the Israeli government built a dam that destroyed the river’s ecosystem. Now the waters of the Jordan are not only dry and full of garbage, but also stink due to the huge amount of sewage and agricultural waste discharges.
Yamuna (Jamna),
India
The largest tributary of the Ganges, flowing down from the Lower Himalayas, flows through several states of Northern India and forms a very fertile valley at its confluence with the Ganges. The waters of this bright river are considered absolutely pure, but only in the spiritual sense. Now the situation with the real state of the river is critical; it is second only to the Ganges in terms of pollution (perhaps because it is smaller in size). Millions of tons of household garbage and sewage are dumped into the Yamuna every day, and this horrendous process cannot be stopped. In addition, recently more and more very dangerous toxic substances have been discovered in water.
Buriganga, Bangladesh
The Buriganga River plays a huge role in the life of the country: it is an important transport artery and, until recently, the main source of drinking water for the capital of the state, the city of Dhaka. But for some reason, the people of Bangladesh do not value their natural wealth: the water is extremely polluted with chemical and household waste, sewage, medical waste, technical oil, plastic, and animal corpses. The government is not yet able to stop clogging the river, and every day about 1.5 million cubic meters of harmful substances enter it. The river is considered biologically dead, but residents of the capital bathe in it and wash their clothes.
Matanza-Riachuelo,
Argentina
This river flows through the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, filling the air with an unpleasant smell. Millions of tons of wastewater are poured into it every day along with huge amounts of household waste. Oil refining companies are not above getting rid of chemical waste with the help of the long-suffering Matanza. Pollution does not stop, despite the statements of environmentalists and government organizations.
Ganges, India
The sacred river of Hindus originates from a glacier in the western Himalayas, crosses northern India, flows through Bangladesh and empties into the Bay of Bengal. In 2007, the Ganges was ranked as one of the five most polluted rivers in the world. The sacred river is spoiled by industrial waste, plastic, sewage, numerous ritual offerings, and even corpses. But for Hindus, the Ganges is a mother, and a mother cannot be dirty, so they consider it an honor to bathe in “holy water,” wash clothes, cook food on its banks, and sometimes send the dead downstream. According to a recent study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR),
The Ganges is so full of toxic substances that people living along its banks suffer from cancer more than in any other part of the country.
Chitarum, Indonesia
The Citarum River, flowing through West Java, is of utmost importance in the island’s agriculture, water supply, industry, fishing, and electricity generation. At the same time, the river is on the verge of an environmental disaster. It is overflowing with household and industrial waste. In some places there is so much debris on the surface that it is difficult to see that there is a river flowing here at all. Plastic bottles, tires, rubber gloves, broken furniture, sewage, harmful chemicals, heavy metals and much more are absorbed by the Citarum River. The level of mercury in water is 100 times higher than permissible. The river is on the verge of death, and what will happen to the people living on its banks?
Source: www.buzzle.com
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