Bacterial carpets: Blue-green algae in the Baltic Sea and lakes – a warning for bathers
Bluish-green turbidity in the water? Authorities are advising against swimming at many beaches and lakes in the north. The reason is bacteria that can cause allergic reactions, among other things.
Satellite images from the Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie show large algae blooms along the coastlines of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein. The blooms, caused by Cyanobakterien, stretch across the Baltic Sea to the Danish coast, affecting areas including Rostock-Warnemünde, Kühlungsborn, and Heiligendamm.
The health ministry in Schwerin advises bathers to avoid areas with visible algae accumulations, as they can cause allergic reactions, skin and mucous membrane irritation, and nausea. In Schleswig-Holstein, bathing bans have been issued for several lakes, including the Bordesholmer See, Brahmsee, Warder See, and Dörpsee, and bathing warnings are in place for some Baltic Sea beaches.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
