Foul-smelling brown algae are invading Mexico's Caribbean beaches.

Sargassum, a type of brown algae, is covering coastlines, turning the seawater a murky brown color and, when it decomposes, emitting a foul, unpleasant odor like rotten eggs. To date, nearly 1,000 km of Mexico's coastline has been severely affected by sargassum, including popular destinations such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum.

It is known that seaweed not only ruins tourists' holidays and significantly impacts the local economy, but when the seaweed decomposes, it falls to the seabed, covering and suffocating coral reefs. Furthermore, despite the local people's efforts to clean it up regularly, large quantities of seaweed still wash ashore and affect the nesting activities of sea turtles.

Furthermore, Mexico is not the only place affected by this algae; all other islands and beaches in the Caribbean are facing this problem.

Hai Anh