FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Several people were left scratching their heads Saturday afternoon, after a creek ran red outside McDowell in Floyd County.

Officials with the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection say the McCoy Elkhorn Coal Corporation reported the incident around 2:30 Saturday afternoon.

They say vandals tampered with a plastic container, spilling about 10 gallons of potassium permanganate.

"This material is used for water treatment, and basically when it impacts water it does change the water color, and that's what people were seeing today," said Robert Francis, manager of the Environmental Response Branch of the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection.

Officials took samples to find out if concentrations of the material exceeded authorized limits.

They say the spill is no cause for alarm, and should not impact drinking water quality.

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Officials: 'Red creek' in Floyd County no cause for alarm