“Breaking News: Playa del Carmen Sees Dramatic Drop in Sargassum!”

Playa del Carmen has seen a significant decrease in the amount of sargassum washing ashore this year. Compared to the same period in 2023, there has been a reduction of approximately 1,800 tons. This information comes from Lourdes Várguez Ocampo, Secretary of Sustainable Environment and Climate Change, who also noted that the arrival of sargassum could increase with rising temperatures.

Currently, the amount of sargassum arriving is substantial, with the heat exacerbating the situation. From January to the present, nearly eight thousand tons of sargassum have washed up on the coast. This is a considerable amount, especially given that the sargassum is distributed along the entire coastline.

In recent days, a significant amount of sargassum has been observed on the beaches in downtown Playa del Carmen and in the northern area of the Solidaridad municipal head. Workers from the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone Directorate (Zofemat) are carrying out cleaning tasks on the coast as the levels of sargassum continue to rise.

Várguez Ocampo noted that the proliferation of sargassum and its arrival on the coast is tied to increasing temperatures and maritime currents originating from the southeast of the Caribbean Sea. These conditions are currently present.

Despite a strong influx of the organic matter last year, it ceased from September onwards, a pattern not seen in several years. This brought hope for a swift end to the phenomenon. However, Várguez Ocampo stated that they remain vigilant as the arrival of sargassum disrupts economic activity and threatens the local ecosystem. It is expected that this phenomenon will persist for a few more weeks at various locations in Quintana Roo.