Imagine paradise beaches buried under mountains of smelly brown seaweed. That’s the reality across the Caribbean right now, as a record-breaking surge of sargassum—a prickly algae—chokes coastlines from Puerto Rico to Guyana. Scientists say May’s seaweed levels were off the charts, and June could bring even more. 🌍
Why It Matters
This isn’t just a bad day at the beach. The algae is:
🛑 Smothering coral reefs and marine life
💸 Disrupting tourism (no one wants to swim in a seaweed soup!)
⚠️ Releasing toxic gases—so potent that a school in Martinique had to shut down temporarily
The Science Behind the Surge
While sargassum is natural, experts blame warming oceans and nutrient runoff from agriculture for this ‘algae-pocalypse.’ The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt—a 5,000-mile-long floating mass—is now sending waves of the stuff ashore.
What’s Next?
Locals are scrambling to clean up, but the algae keeps coming. For travelers: check beach reports before booking! For eco-warriors: this crisis highlights the urgent need to tackle climate change and protect our oceans. 🌱
