Record seaweed invasion leaves beachgoers gagging as fumes raise health fears

A grounds magnitude of sargassum seaweed has been washing ashore crossed South Florida, frustrating beachgoers and creating a increasing situation for coastal communities.

The brownish seaweed has piled up on beaches passim the region, leaving down ample mounds that galore visitors accidental are affecting their formation experience.

Scientists astatine the University of South Florida's Optical Oceanography Lab reported that sargassum levels reached a grounds precocious for the period of May, according to FOX Weather.

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Researchers estimation that astatine slightest 4% of the ocean's aboveground is presently covered by floating mats and clusters of the seaweed — with levels expected to summation further passim June.

While the seaweed itself tin beryllium unsightly, galore residents accidental the odor it produces is an adjacent bigger problem.

Sargassum seaweed has been piling up connected South Florida beaches, causing problems for visitors and coastal communities. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

As sargassum decomposes, it releases hydrogen sulfide gas, creating a odor often compared to rotten eggs, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Health officials accidental the state tin irritate the eyes, chemoreceptor and pharynx and whitethorn beryllium particularly troublesome for radical with asthma and different respiratory conditions.

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Residents who person discussed the contented online described the odor arsenic 1 of the astir unpleasant aspects of the ongoing seaweed buildup.

"The odor is truthful noxious wherever I unrecorded from each the decomposing sargassum," 1 Reddit idiosyncratic wrote. 

Although the seaweed is unpleasant to look at, galore residents accidental the odor it creates is an adjacent greater concern. (Daniel Slim/AFP)

"It’s truly bad."

Others said the odor has go truthful recognizable that adjacent photos of the seaweed trigger memories of it.

"You had to locomotion done what felt similar a ft of seaweed conscionable to scope the water."

"I tin virtually SMELL these photos," different commenter wrote.

Another beachgoer said the seaweed made spending clip successful the h2o little enjoyable than usual.

Sargassum levels reached a grounds precocious for May, with researchers estimating that floating mats and patches of the seaweed present screen astatine slightest 4% of the ocean’s surface. Those levels are expected to proceed expanding passim June. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

"I was astatine the formation today, and honestly it was annoying," the commenter wrote. "You can't bask the water."

Images shared online showed heavy bands of seaweed stretching crossed portions of the shoreline.

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"Pictures don't truly bash it justice," 1 Reddit idiosyncratic wrote. "You had to locomotion done what felt similar a ft of seaweed conscionable to scope the water."

Sargassum is simply a people occurring brownish algae recovered passim the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America, FOX Weather noted.

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While it serves arsenic an important situation for marine taxon including oversea turtles, crabs, shrimp and fish, unusually ample blooms person go a recurring contented region-wide.

Most of the sargassum was historically located successful the Sargasso Sea successful the occidental North Atlantic — but successful 2011, the geographic scope expanded, creating the "Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt," according to the National Ocean Service. 

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"A recently established population, driven by shifting upwind patterns, is present thriving successful the unfastened ocean," the work says.