The sargassum wash has returned to the shores of Tulum, where the beaches once again appear overcrowded by macroalgae.
David Buchanan García, Director of Administration for the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat), acknowledged the cleanup efforts, although “it seems that when you leave, the beaches look as if you haven’t done anything.”
As of last Saturday, municipal crews had collected 983 tons of seaweed throughout September, but everything seems to indicate that this will surpass the historic figure of 1,065 tons recorded last July.
“The truth is that it has been hard work by the entire team,” the official said during Mayor Diego Castañón’s weekly press conference.
To gauge the amount of seaweed arriving in Tulum, 1,325 tons were collected throughout the year, and now in September alone, the figure is about to surpass 1,000 tons.
Over the last week, there has been a significant arrival of the macroalgae, despite the weather and the rains that were thought to be beneficial to the municipality.
“Unfortunately, the currents were directed entirely toward our beaches,” stated the Zofemat administration director.
The sands are covered with sargassum, despite constant cleaning due to weather conditions such as rain, he insisted.
The sargassum harvesting continues unabated, as happened at Pescadores Beach, where 44 tons were removed last Saturday.
And despite this, “it seems that when you leave, the beaches look as if you haven’t done anything. There’s a lot of backwash, and despite the progress, you don’t see much change,” he commented.
The official said they continue working and insisted on inviting hoteliers to support their beachfront projects.
He noted that the temporary employment program will begin this week, with the addition of 45 people to the team, which will help the team cover a much broader scope and move forward much more effectively.
Two weeks ago, he said, the weather was very good, and the currents helped restore the turquoise color of the sea.
Among the bad news, he added, “the good news is that if a storm comes, just as it can harm us, it can also help us.”
The mayor of Tulum, Diego Castañón, has insisted that sargassum is a complicated issue and asked hoteliers for their help in keeping the beaches clean, given the sargassum flooding expected in Tulum this week.
Source: lucesdelsiglo
