Ever Witnessed Blood-Red Rains? Happened in Kerala Once
From July 25 to September 23, 2001, Kerala experienced unusual meteorological phenomena, including rains of red, yellow, and black colours.
The phenomenon, dubbed "Blood Rain," was first observed in the districts of Kottayam and Idukki, with subsequent occurrences reported over the following ten days.
Local residents reported a loud thunderclap and a flash of light preceding the red rain, followed by trees shedding shriveled grey 'burnt' leaves.
The red rain was localized, with normal rain falling mere meters away from the coloured precipitation.
Each milliliter of the red rain contained approximately 9 million red particles, accounting for about 90% of the sample, with the remainder being debris.
The Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) initially hypothesized that the red rain was caused by a meteor explosion that dispersed 1,000 kg of material.
The CESS retracted their initial explanation after discovering the particles resembled spores, concluding meteor debris couldn't continuously fall in the same area for days.
In November 2001, a joint report by the Department of Science and Technology of India, CESS, and the Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute identified the source of the red color as spores from a lichen-forming alga of the genus Trentepohlia.
This alga, found in the region, was determined to be the cause of the red rain's unique colouration.
The "Blood Rain" event in Kerala challenged initial scientific explanations, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of the environmental and biological factors influencing meteorological phenomena.