“Hurricane Beryl Causes 69-Ton Sargasso Onslaught on Isla Mujeres Beaches”

Over the weekend, dozens of locals on Isla Mujeres, QR, worked tirelessly to clear over 60 tons of sargasso seaweed that had washed up on the island's beaches. This is the second time this season that the usually pristine beaches have been overwhelmed by the seaweed.

Dayana Alejandra Pérez Medina, Director of Zofemat Isla Mujeres, reported that the majority of the sargasso was found on Playa Norte. The seaweed was brought ashore following a severe storm, similar to a previous incident. Pérez Medina detailed that a total of 69 tons of sargasso were collected from the beaches using pitchforks and nets in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. The cleanup effort involved around 50 volunteers, a backhoe, and two dump trucks.

"On Saturday, we collected 39 tons, and another 30 tons on Sunday, making a total of 69 tons in two days," Pérez Medina explained.

Following the cleanup, the Municipality of Isla Mujeres praised the efforts of the Zofemat Isla Mujeres team, who were described as "warriors" standing guard to maintain the beauty of the beaches. The municipality's statement read, "Our Zofemat team has been working from early in the morning and in two days has removed 69 tons of sargasso. We urge everyone to help us keep the beaches of Isla Mujeres beautiful, remember to dispose of your garbage properly!"

This is the second time the island, which is typically free of sargasso, has had to deal with the inundation of the seaweed following a storm.