5,000-mile-wide giant seaweed bloom: All about Sargassum algae that can be seen from space

A 5,000-mile-long seaweed bloom is slowly drifting towards the Sunshine State of Florida. It is believed to be the largest Sargassum bloom in history, standing at twice the width of the continental United States. The thick algae blooms are mostly harmless as they drift across Africa's west coast and the Gulf of Mexico. They even provide habitats for certain marine life and absorb carbon dioxide, much to the benefit of all living beings.

However, these seaweed blooms can be disastrous when they come closer to the shore. It wreaks havoc by blocking sunlight from reaching corals underwater and negatively impacts the quality of air and water as the seaweed rots.

A vast blanket of seaweed is threatening beaches across the Caribbean and can be seen from space, much to everyone's surprise.

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Seaweed has taken over the coasts and here is what officials have to say about it

This particular seaweed bloom is called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt and is visible from space. It provides habitat to certain fish species and crustaceans. However, ocean currents seem to be pushing tons of seaweed onto beaches. This chokes corals and causes hazards for coastal ecosystems.

Brian LaPointe, a research professor at Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, told NBC:

"It's incredible. What we're seeing in the satellite imagery does not bode well for a clean beach year. [I]t can block intake valves for things like power plants or desalination plants. Marinas can get completely inundated and boats can’t navigate through. It can really threaten critical infrastructure."

LaPointe has studied Sargassum for over four decades and said that huge piles of Sargassum are usually seen on the shore in South Florida during May, but beaches in Key West are already drowning with algae.

Parts of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, will suit up for a likely three-foot Sargassum build-up in the upcoming days.

Brian Barnes, an assistant research professor at the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science, told the publication:

"Even if it's just out in coastal waters, it can block intake valves for things like power plants or desalination plants, marinas can get completely inundated and boats can't navigate through."

In an interview with NBC, he added

“Before 2011, it was there but we couldn’t observe it with satellites because it wasn’t dense enough. Since then, it has just exploded and we now see these huge aggregations. It can really threaten critical infrastructure."

Barnes and his colleagues used NASA satellite data to map the movements of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt.

The bloom's size would have been declared inconceivable in previous years, according to Barnes, who mentioned:

"Historically, as far back as we have records, Sargassum has been a part of the ecosystem, but the scale now is just so much bigger. What we would have thought was a major bloom five years ago is no longer even a blip."

Last summer, the US Virgin Islands had to declare a state of emergency due to the unusually high quantities of Sargassum, which caused water shortages in St. Croix. Experts also noticed large amounts of seaweed in the Caribbean Sea in 2011. Ever since then, a similar issue has occurred practically every year.