On February 25, leaders of the Gia Lai Provincial Sub-Department of Environmental Protection (Department of Agriculture and Environment) said that the unit had coordinated with local authorities to inspect the actual phenomenon of the seawater strip of Thien Chanh village (Hoai Nhon Bac ward) suddenly turning reddish-brown.
According to initial assessments, it is likely that this is a "red tide" phenomenon, also known as algae blooming. When algae grow strongly, the water environment often contains a certain amount of organic matter, creating conditions for plankton to multiply and change water color.
Regarding the origin of this organic matter, specialized agencies offer two possibilities. First, wastewater from the mainland flows into the sea. Second, the impact of offshore ocean currents brings nutrient-rich water to the shore, promoting algae growth.
However, to accurately determine the cause, functional agencies will continue to survey, take samples and conduct specific assessments.
According to the leader of the Gia Lai Provincial Sub-Department of Environmental Protection, this phenomenon usually only lasts for a few days. When the amount of organic matter consumed by algae is gone, the water color will gradually return to normal. Previously, the sea area of the province also recorded a similar phenomenon.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa - Chairman of Hoai Nhon Bac Ward People's Committee - said that the area where the water changed color has now returned to normal. In the area where algae and sea shrimp appeared, they concentrated densely to find food, helping fishermen make a big catch.
Local people are used to this phenomenon. Algals usually appear at the end of January. When the weather is sunny and warm, algae develop strongly, causing the seawater to turn red. After the algae bloom, sea snails often come ashore to find food, so people have a good harvest again," Mr. Hoa said.
As Lao Dong newspaper reported, for more than 1 day, social network Facebook has spread information about the phenomenon believed to be "red tide" appearing at Thien Chanh village beach, attracting public attention.
The information was posted on the Fanpage of Hoai Nhon Bac Ward Information with the content: "Red tide, also known as algae blooming, appears at Thien Chanh beach". Before this phenomenon, many people expressed concern about the risk of affecting the marine environment and livelihoods of local fishermen.
Records in the coastal area of Thien Chanh village show a strip of reddish-brown water about 20-30m wide, stretching for kilometers along the shore. This strip of color is clearly contrasting with the blue color of the seawater and can be observed with the naked eye.
