Manila Bay in the Philippines has returned to a natural state of turquoise after the COVID-19 lockdown as reduced human interaction with the area.

The stretch of water is one the most popular bay in the capital area of Metro Manila where thousands of Filipinos gather every weekend.

The pollution became so bad that the waters had become toxic - with officials warning locals not to swim.

The popular beach was undergoing regular cleanups being the coronavirus struck, also helping to reduce the pollution levels.

It appears that the lockdown and curfew preventing people from using the beach has helped it ''heal itself'," according to UNTV News and Rescue.

in a video taken by Manuelito Bajao, last Tuesday (March 24), It now resembled the stunning beaches around the well-known Boracay resort.

However, some marine experts have suggested the heavily polluted area could take years to be cleaned of pollution and that the colour change could have been caused by ''toxic cleaning chemicals'' being dumped in the sea.

They believe the colour of Manila Bay could be due to pollution. 
Jerwin Baure from the fishing NGO PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas said in a statement that the ''water can be likened to a swimming pool that underwent chlorination.''

He added: ''Thus, we can’t set aside a possibility that some establishment carried out tank cleaning and outrightly discharged the toxic cleaning chemicals into Manila Bay.''

Residents living near Manila Bay in the Philippines after the water has turned turquoise after being deserted during the Covid-19 lockdown.
The stretch of water is one the most popular bay in the capital Metro Manila where thousands of Filipinos gather every weekend. The pollution became so bad that the waters had become toxic - with officials warning locals not to swim.
The popular beach was undergoing regular cleanups being the coronavirus struck, also helping to reduce the pollution levels. It appears that the lock down and curfew preventing people from using the beach has helped it ''heal itself'', according to UNTV News and Rescue. It now resembled the stunning beaches around the well-known Boracay resort in video taken by Manuelito Bajao, last Tuesday March 24.
However, some marine experts have suggested the heavily polluted area could take years to be cleaned of pollution and that the colour change could have been caused by ''toxic cleaning chemicals '' being dumped in the sea.
They believe the colour of Manila Bay could be due to pollution. 
Jerwin Baure from the fishing NGO PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas said in a statement that the ''water can be likened to a swimming pool that underwent chlorination''.
He added: ''Thus, we can’t set aside a possibility that some establishment carried out tank cleaning and outrightly discharged the toxic cleaning chemicals into Manila Bay.''