A record-breaking amount of atypical sargassum has washed up on the coast of Quintana Roo, exceeding levels recorded over the past three years, according to local authorities.
In Mahahual, a southern coastal town in the state, images from May 2 show crews working tirelessly to contain the massive seaweed invasion. The sheer volume of sargassum collected in the state during 2024 was nearly 37,000 tons, but forecasters predict an even higher amount for 2025, with particularly intense sargassum activity predicted in the southern region.
Vice Admiral Marco Antonio Muñoz Hernández, overseeing the Navy’s sargassum operation, confirmed that this year’s volume is unprecedented. “It’s a higher-than-usual amount and definitely atypical compared to previous years,” he stated.
In collaboration with local residents and authorities from all three levels of government, collection efforts have been stepped up, with adjustments made to the strategy to prevent containment barriers from collapsing due to algae accumulation.
“To mitigate the issue, we decided to open the barriers and designate a sacrifice zone for easier collection,” Muñoz Hernández explained.
Residents and visitors are urged to avoid entering restricted areas and cooperate fully with instructions to ensure safe operations. The Navy will continue working alongside state and municipal authorities in the coming days to contain the sargassum invasion, which poses both environmental and tourism-related challenges.
To mitigate its impact, measures will remain in place to minimize the effects of the massive sargassum arrival on Mahahual’s ecosystem and tourist industry.
Source: UNO TV
