A lake in Sao Paulo turns green due to algae bloom

A lake in Sao Paulo’s iconic Ibirapuera Park has turned green due to an algae bloom stemming from low water levels amid historic drought and record high temperatures in Brazil.

Parkgoers have noticed the problem for the past two weeks.

Sao Paulo authorities said in a statement last Thursday that the lake's current low level makes it harder for a pump to remove the algae.

It also added that the green color comes from a combination of abundant nutrients, high temperatures, and a lack of rain in the Brazilian metropolis.

Silvia Alves, who often exercises by the lake, said the draught has changed the grass, the color and level of the lake, and the air.

“I'm a bit more breathless than usual,” she said.

Photographer Sidney Cardoso said he had never seen the Ibirapuera Park lake's water look so green.

“We know that when the lake is full it's a very different color,” he said.