Shock footage has revealed a remote Siberian town in Russia plunged into darkness – during the daytime.
The mysterious affair took place earlier this week, however chilling video of the occurrence only emerged yesterday.
The region of Yakutsk in Siberia went almost completely dark for four hours, as local witnesses remarked that the sun had suddenly disappeared.
Amid government silence over the episode, conspiracy theories online and in the region have ranged from the “work of the devil” to a “new darkness-inducing weapon”.
Other explanations include the involvement of aliens, a meteorite strike kept secret, fumes from forest fires, or a failed rocket launch.
Following the bizarre event, around 50 dead gulls were found by local residents on the shore of Lake Baibal-Kuel.
Samples from the bodies of the birds have been taken to determine the cause of the bizarre mass deaths.
Other residents told officials that their car’s batteries had suddenly stopped working as well.
There has been no comment from the Russian Ministry of Defence.
An official at the Emergencies Ministry in Yakutsk told reporters: “We have an opinion but I have no right to disclose this information.”
When asked whether it was caused by forest fires, the official responded: “Anything can be supposed.”
Ivan Gorokhov, head of Eveno-Batynaisky district, commented: “It was really dark.
“Usually at this time of year we have the sun really high but it was not visible at all. Not even a spot. It was totally dark.
“When I switched off my office light in my office there was no light coming through the window, so you can understand how dark it was.
“We made an official request for information on the cause) but we have had no reply. Maybe we are all infected, who knows?”
Konstantin Starostin, head of Nizhne-Bytantaisky settlement, echoed this sentiment: “We don’t know what to think.
“We have no experts, and rumours keep growing. If this was linked to some kind of military tests, I would say so.
“The Sun was not visible from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the day.”
Natalia Kovalyova, the head of the meteorological and agricultural forecasting department, blamed the dark day on forest fires with the pollution blown into the region.
She added: “We think that partly it is a meteorological event, but let me stress, this is only a preliminary conclusion based on information we have just received.”
Other strange incidents in the region recently have seen apparent “blood rain” pouring down onto a town.