From Cancún to Mahahual, sargassum influx puts nearly 50% of Riviera Maya beaches on red alert

Nearly 50 percent of beaches along the Riviera Maya in Quintana Roo have been placed on red alert following a significant influx of sargassum seaweed in recent days, according to monitoring data released by state authorities. The accumulation has rendered conditions unsuitable for swimming at multiple sites between Cancún and Mahahual. Head of the Sargassum Monitoring Center in Quintana Roo Esteban Amaro reported that substantial volumes arrived along the coastline starting in the last week, prompting the elevated alert status. “We have recorded high concentrations that affect water quality and beach usability from Cancún through Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and down to Mahahual,” Amaro stated in an official update issued by the state’s environmental monitoring office.

The Incident

State monitoring teams documented the arrival of dense mats of the floating brown seaweed at more than 40 of the approximately 85 monitored beach segments in the region. Red-alert designations indicate levels exceeding thresholds where swimming is discouraged due to potential skin irritation and reduced water clarity. Municipal crews in Benito Juárez, Solidaridad, Tulum, and Othón P. Blanco municipalities have begun mechanical removal operations using tractors and conveyor systems. Amaro noted that satellite imagery from the past 72 hours confirmed the scale of the event, with the heaviest deposits observed between Puerto Morelos and Akumal. Local lifeguard services have posted bilingual warning signs at access points and restricted water entry at flagged locations.

Background

Sargassum is a genus of macroalgae that forms large floating mats in the Atlantic Ocean, particularly within the Sargasso Sea. Periodic influxes to the Caribbean coast of Mexico have occurred since at least 2011, with major events recorded in 2015, 2018, and 2022. The seaweed originates from nutrient-r

By Rosa Martinez, Staff Writer