A blanket of seaweed smothers coastlines from the Caribbean to Mexico

Swaths of seaweed are blanketing beaches and coastlines across the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. The phenomenon is affecting regions from the Caribbean to Mexico, including Puerto Morelos.

The accumulation of seaweed is suffocating shorelines and snuffing out marine life. Additionally, the invasion is spooking visitors in areas that depend heavily on tourism for their economies.