Beaches in the Mexican resort of Cancun have been coated with a thick layer of brown seaweed, forcing tourists to take their sunloungers elsewhere.
An estimated ninety tons of sargassum algae have washed up on the pristine white sands of Mexico's most famous beach resort. The seaweed invasion, which appears to have hit most of the Caribbean this year, is generally considered a nuisance and has prompted some hotel cancellations from tourists.
Mexican authorities have brought in diggers and tractors to clear the beaches, in the hope of convincing tourists to stay.
But scientists consider washed-up seaweed an important part of the coastal eco-system and say that it plays a role in beach nourishment.
Some scientists, however, have also associated the large quantities of seaweed this year in the Caribbean region with higher than normal temperatures and low winds, both of which influence ocean currents.
