Sargassum has been arriving in greater quantities than typical for this early in the season in Playa del Carmen in recent days. The arrival of so much sargassum has led the local authority to take action to clear the beaches. As large amounts of sargassum continue to arrive, Playa del Carmen is preparing to remove it.
The sargassum season in the Mexican Caribbean usually lasts from May to October, with July and August being the worst months. This year, the season started much earlier, with the first algae arriving in January.
Several beaches in Cancun have been affected, as well as the most popular beach on Isla Mujeres, which is generally less affected than others, and now Playa del Carmen is also experiencing its arrival.
Authorities continue to use procedures to prevent and remove sargassum, but it sometimes comes in such large quantities that it is virtually impossible to keep up with it.
Naval vessels are occasionally deployed to collect it before it reaches the beaches, and barriers have been erected in some regions to prevent it from washing ashore. However, the most popular method of keeping sargassum off the beaches of the Mexican Caribbean is to remove it once it arrives.
Sargassum is removed from beaches primarily by hand and by heavy machinery with the help of volunteers and local authorities.
In the case of Playa del Carmen, it was announced earlier this month that new equipment would arrive to assist in the removal and containers would also be delivered for the temporary storage of sargassum. It was also announced that a barrier would be erected in the area of the marina.
Solidaridad City President Lili Campos Miranda addresses the sargassum problem in Playa del Carmen, calling on residents and the administration to work together to prevent and get rid of it.
“I invite and call on all residents of Solidaridad to participate in the cleanup of sargassum,” she stated. She began by thanking the people and the municipality for their support in getting rid of sargassum, before adding that “the government of Zofemat is already fully prepared to take care of sargassum as soon as it arrives.”