The Sea of Galilee — a place woven deep into biblical history — has suddenly turned a shocking, vivid shade of red.
From a distance, the water’s surface appears almost painted, with crimson waves lapping against the shore. Visitors stopped in their tracks, snapping photos and murmuring about a “bad omen.” Some compared the scene to the ten plagues of Egypt, when, according to the Book of Exodus, the Nile was struck by Moses’ staff and turned to blood.
That passage reads like something from a disaster movie: “By this you shall know that I am the Lord… I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood.” To those standing on the Galilee’s banks, the similarity was unsettling.
On social media, the images spread like wildfire. Some saw it as a warning, a sign of the End Times. Others simply called it “apocalyptic.” The lake’s deep spiritual importance only amplified the unease. This was the same Sea of Galilee where Jesus was said to walk on water, feed thousands with a few loaves and fish, and call his disciples from the boats.
The Sea of Galilee turned red: A natural phenomenon caused the formation of spots in the waters of the Sea of Galilee, with no danger to swimmers. The red color results from the accumulation of a natural pigment produced by a certain type of algae, in response to strong sun… pic.twitter.com/NI4nXdmPhZ
— Adi 🎗 (@Adi13) August 4, 2025
The crimson shift wasn’t isolated, either. In 2021, a pool near the Dead Sea in Jordan — in the biblical region of Moab — also turned blood red, not far from the area traditionally associated with Sodom and Gomorrah. Those images carried heavy symbolic weight in the Old Testament context, where blood-red waters were among the plagues God sent upon Egypt to free the Israelites from slavery.
The first of those plagues was the transformation of the Nile, followed by swarms of frogs, lice, flies, livestock disease, painful boils, hailstorms, locusts, days of darkness, and finally the death of every firstborn son. In the ancient story, that final blow convinced Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.
But this is not ancient Egypt. This is modern-day Israel. And the cause? That’s where the story shifts.
Israel’s environmental ministry stepped in to investigate and found that the Sea of Galilee’s transformation was not caused by blood at all. Scientists traced it to a natural algae bloom. Under the right conditions — warm temperatures, nutrient-rich waters, and intense sunlight — certain microscopic organisms produce pigments that can turn water red.
The specific organism identified is a green microalga that produces hydrocarbons similar to crude petroleum, sometimes used in biofuel research. When sunlight triggers a pigment buildup, the color can swing from green to deep crimson.
❗️🇮🇱 – Red stains have recently appeared in the waters of the Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Tiberias or Kinneret, Israel’s largest freshwater lake and a site of profound religious and cultural significance. Authorities have confirmed that these red patches pose no danger to… pic.twitter.com/TyWxWitH7E
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) August 4, 2025
Tests from the Kinneret Research Laboratory showed no health hazards. The algae are harmless, with no reported allergic reactions or toxic effects. Officials stressed that the water remains safe for swimming, even if the sight is enough to unsettle seasoned locals.
For now, the Sea of Galilee remains red in places, its hue shifting with the light and the density of the bloom. While science offers a clear explanation, the images carry a power that facts alone can’t wash away — especially here, in waters that have witnessed both history and faith for thousands of years.
And with no set date for the color to fade, the question lingers: how long will the Sea of Galilee keep its blood-red hue?
