'Smelly, Brown Liquid' Coming From Taps Is a Shocker

A "smelly, brown liquid" poured out of the faucets of an apartment building in southern India on Monday. So why is it international news, and why were the residents "bemused," as the BBC puts it? Because the liquid wasn't just water but a combination of water, beer, brandy, and rum. It turns out officials had seized nearly 1,600 gallons of alcohol and buried it nearby—only to have it seep into the well that provided the Kerala building with drinking water.

As for why the booze was being buried, CNN quotes a local official as saying it belonged to a nearby hotel/bar but had expired years prior. As for the residents, their "bemused" attitude may have now given way: It's estimated that restoring the well will take a full month, and they say that the water officials are supplying to the building in the meantime isn't enough to cover residents' needs. (More strange stuff stories.)