LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – The Buhatan River in Barangay Buhatan, Sorsogon City briefly turned red after thousands of bottles of beer spilled from a delivery truck on Tuesday night, June 16.

Reports said around 1,944 cases of Red Horse beer were scattered on the road after the truck's cargo slipped and fell. It was caught on closed-circuit television camera.

The accident caused a significant traffic buildup in the area. During the cleanup operation, beer flowed into the nearby Buhatan River, turning the river red.

Authorities immediately conducted clearing operations to remove the debris and restore normal traffic flow. No injuries were reported over the incident.

The incident drew attention due to its impact on the Buhatan River, one of the well-known tourist attractions in Sorsogon City.

The river is home to the popular Buhatan River Cruise, a community-based ecotourism destination that offers visitors scenic river tours and firefly watching through mangrove forests and coastal communities.

The ecotourism project traces its roots to 2014 and is considered one of the legacies of the late environmental advocate and former Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez.

Lopez spearheaded the livelihood initiative while serving as chairperson of the ABS-CBN Foundation, helping transform the area into a sustainable tourism site that benefits local residents.

Authorities have yet to release an assessment on the environmental impact of the incident on the river ecosystem. Investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing.