The turquoise waters of Cancún, in the Riviera Maya, are threatened by the arrival of a massive amount of sargassum leading up to Easter.
The local city council said it will present a contingency plan for Holy Week — which begins Sunday — in collaboration with the state Government and the Naval Ministry (Semar) to address the problem.
“We’ll present the contingency plan in case of a significant arrival [of seaweed],” Municipal Public Services Director José Antonio de la Torre Chambé said. “We’ve already established schedules for sargassum response, and monitoring will start at 5:00 a.m.”
Sargassum is a brown seaweed that floats on the open ocean, providing food, protection, and habitat for many marine species. However, it can be harmful when large quantities reach the shores, as it decomposes and produces hydrogen sulfide, a gas that smells like rotten eggs and may cause respiratory issues.
In the Riviera Maya, sargassum season usually lasts from May to November, although it varies each year. In 2024, the season officially ended on Nov. 14.
De la Torre said that sargassum collection has increased in recent weeks due to strong winds from the south, which have carried the algae to shores. In the last few days alone, he said 80 cubic meters of sargassum have been removed, mainly from Playa Delfines, one of Mexico’s most visited beaches.
Playa del Carmen has also been affected by sargassum. The buildup has impacted at least 60 maritime service providers at El Recodo Beach in Playa del Carmen, further complicating port closures for smaller vessels due to wind gusts of up to 40 kilometers per hour. The Regional Harbor Master’s Office has suspended nautical and recreational activities in Puerto Juárez, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen.
These climatic conditions have led to cancellations in the tourism industry, with estimated economic losses of US $300,000 per day, affecting everything from ticket sales for tours and other services to clients’ and employees’ ability to access businesses located in locations like Isla Mujeres. .
Municipal workers of Playa del Carmen have removed sargassum, using heavy machinery and other tools to keep the beaches clean before the Easter holidays. Data from the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) shows that Cancún is anticipated to experience one of the highest occupancy rates during the holiday season, with an estimated 85%.
Apart from seaweed arrivals, good beach weather is expected for Holy Week. The National Meteorological Service (SMN) forecasts partly cloudy skies and scattered showers in Quintana Roo, with warm to very hot temperatures during the afternoon.
With reports from Reportur and 24 horas Quintana Roo
