'Nightmare': Stinky seaweed smothers French Caribbean beaches

Pedestrians walk across a beach past live (brown) and dead (black) sargassum washing ashore in Petit Bourg, in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe on April 16, 2023. - For the past dozen years, waves of Atlantic Sargasum belts have been washing ashore in the Caribbean an region. This floating layer of seaweed can reach a thickness of 70-80 cm and releases Hydrogen sulfide (Sulfur, H2S) as it decomposes on the shore - a gas which can affect health in some cases and oxydizes domestic equipment. The proliferation of sargassum smothers biodiversity and has also impacted local economy and tourism. Photo by Olivier MORIN / AFP

CAPESTERRE-BELLE-EAU, France: Jose Viator was hoping tourists would flock to his beachside bar on the French archipelago of Guadeloupe, but he has been forced to close because of stinky brown seaweed.

"It's a nightmare," the 61-year-old said.

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