Red tide forces closure of Dubai beaches

Dubai Municipality is advising swimmers to stay out of the sea as a red tide of algal bloom engulfs the emirate’s beaches.

Two beaches in Jumeirah have been closed to the public while government scientists analysed samples taken from the bloom, said Kais Mansoor, fisheries officer in Dubai’s Marine Environment and Wildlife Section.

But the red tide was moving so quickly from day to day it was difficult to tell which beaches were affected, he said.

Beaches near the Burj Al Arab and Umm Suqeim park were closed on Monday.

“Until we get an analysis we can’t allow people to swim,” he told Arabian Business.

He said environment officers were monitoring all of Dubai’s beaches on a daily basis.

“The situation is changing every day from one day to another. The red tide is moving so we don’t know which beaches are safe and which are not,” Mansoor added.

He said it could be “another few days” before the bloom cleared.

On Friday residents living on Palm Jumeirah were advised by Nakheel, the developer of the man-made island, to stay out of the sea following reports of algal bloom.

Letters from Nakheel were sent to people with homes on the man-made island to warn them to steer clear of the water, following advice from environmental health and safety officials.

Algae are microscopic organisms which serve as an important marine food source. They can multiply so rapidly that they form dense patches in the water, known as blooms which have become more common in the region.

Some blooms are harmful and can cause risks to human health as well as the marine life.

Last November, Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) suspended the operation of the new water desalination plant in Khor Khan due to the phenomenon.

As well as the UAE’s Indian Ocean coastline, waters off Salalah and Muscat in Oman, Iran and the Straits of Hormuz have all been affected.

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