Thaindian News

Beijing, July 1 (IANS) Green algae is spreading at a rapid pace in the coastal regions of China’s Shandong province, causing concern among people that it might affect the local fishery and tourism industries, a media report said.
The coasts in Qingdao city are covered by green algae up to an area of 460 sq. km, Xinhua reported citing the latest monitoring figure by the State Oceanic Administration.

Its continuing spread might affect the local fishery and tourism industries, Ding Shugen from the Qingdao Committee of Municipal and Rural Construction, said.

“It’s getting hotter and hotter in Qingdao these days, and the green algae grows faster and faster in rising temperature,” Wang Zhigang, a local resident who swims in the sea every day, was quoted as saying.

The air temperature in Qingdao has risen by one degree Celsius per day on average over the past five days, reaching 27 degree Celsius Wednesday, according to the city’s meteorological bureau.

Sixteen to 20 degrees Celsius is the most favorable sea temperature range for growth of the algae, Pang Shaojun, a researcher from the Institute of Oceanology, said.

Over 6,000 people have been deployed by the local administration to clean up the green algae.