Ominous Purple Cloud Falls Over Chilean City

Residents of a small Chilean city were left baffled and confused when they woke up Sunday morning to find an ominous purple cloud hanging across the sky.

The bright cloud was photographed over the city Pozo Almonte, Chile and it wasn’t long before photos of the purple cloud started to circulate on social media.

One woman named Negrita shared photos on Twitter, calling the clouds an “environmental emergency”:

En #pozoalmonte, en faena Cala Cala Cosayach se produce una emergencia medioambiental, donde se observa una nube de sublimación de yoduro, se activa plan de emergencia local. @info_emergencia @reddeemergencia @biobio #MedioAmbiente #hazmat pic.twitter.com/QXzcqk6cbP

— Negrita 😉😉😉 (@JeannetteQuim) August 21, 2022

According to The Sun, officials quickly began an investigation into the matter after receiving several reports from concerned citizens.

The officials claim the cloud was caused by a pump failure a mine owned by the Saltpeter and Iodine Company. A mishap at the company resulted in the iodine turning from a solid state into a gas state. The pump failure allowed iodine vapor to seep out, resulting in a purple cloud.

The Sun further reports the Tarapaca Region representative Daniel Quinteros said residents don’t need to worry about the cloud posing risks.

He said, “Until now, there have been no medical consultations or affectations as a result of the situation we are experiencing. We are also in contact with the Superintendency of Environment so that tomorrow we can evaluate the filing of a complaint for non-compliance with the regulations and the commitments made by the company in environmental matters.”

Officials monitored the cloud for 48 hours.

Many people have compared the bright purple cloud to something from Stranger Things. It certainly looks extraterrestrial!