Sargassum Threat Looms as Placencia Lacks Cleanup Funds

And while a new national report warns that plastics are overwhelming Belize’s coastlines, another environmental threat is already on the move tonight, sargassum mats drifting toward Placencia, where local officials say they have no funds for cleanup and are urging beachfront owners to prepare. The Placencia Village Council took to social media to say that forecast shows the sargassum remaining off the coast over the course of the next three days, it is hard to say what happens beyond that time. The council further noted that this could be an indication of some of the sargassum affecting beaches along the peninsula over the weekend to early next week. In its notice, the council noted that it does not have funding to put towards sargassum cleanup initiatives and urged beachfront owners and hotels to put plans in place. Notably, the National Meteorological Service of Belize latest sargassum forecast confirmed the mats of sargassum over the Gulf of Honduras and has a medium probability of reaching Placencia with minimal impact expected. We will continue to follow.