Strange foam, dead fish wash onto 2 Australian beaches as surfers fall sick
MELBOURNE, Australia Mar 18, (AP) — An Australian state closed two beaches after dead fish and an unusual off-white foam washed ashore while surfers reported feeling unwell, officials said on Tuesday.
A microalgal bloom created by unusual weather conditions was suspected to have sickened humans and marine life as well as creating the foam that has covered hundreds of meters (yards) of coastline, South Australian Environment Protection Authority principal scientific officer Sam Gaylard said.
“It is very concerning,” Gaylard told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“It is unusual at this scale. At this time of year, when the weather conditions allow, we do occasionally get isolated blooms, but something of this scale is definitely a little bit unusual,” Gaylard added.
Waitpinga Beach and neighboring Parsons Beach, both south of the South Australia state capital Adelaide, have been closed to the public since Monday in response to a “fish mortality event in the area,” the Department for Environment and Water said in a statement.
“The beaches will be re-opened as soon as possible,” the department said.
Dozens of dead fish have reportedly been washed shore.
Surfers have been complaining since the weekend of getting sore eyes, sore throats and coughing after contact with the water, said local Anthony Rowland, who surfed at Waitpinga on Saturday.
“While we were out there, we started coughing,” Rowland said, referring to his surfing comrades. He said he was overwhelmed by the response from other surfers after posting his experience online.
“Lots of people reached out – so many people have said they’re had exactly the same symptoms,” Rowland said.
Marine scientists took water samples from the foam, which is a byproduct of the toxic organisms’ decay, on Monday, but it could take until the end of the week to identify the organism, Gaylard said.
A bloom of microalgae – microscopic, single-celled organisms – could have been caused by a recent extended period of hot and dry weather with little wind and low tides, Gaylard said.
A swell has picked up in the area since Sunday, and the turbulence could break up the algae while generating more foam, he said.
“At the moment, we’re not sure how long this will last,” Gaylard said.
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Barakah PU students register excellent performance in Second PUC examinations
Mangaluru: Students of Barakah International School and College have recorded commendable results in the Second PUC examinations, reflecting the institution’s consistent academic performance.
Fathima Thalia secured 98 percent, emerging as the top scorer. Maryam Lamya, Marwa Sahar and Fathima Rila each obtained 97 percent, while Aysha Saniya, Rinsha Fathima and Haleema Shauma secured 96 percent.
In the overall results, 51 students achieved distinction and 86 students secured first class. In subject-wise performance, six students scored centum in Economics, Biology, Mathematics and Physics.
The institution stated that it caters to students across varying academic levels and focuses on enabling them to achieve academic improvement along with the development of life skills, under the guidance of qualified faculty.
Barakah International School and College also offers NEET-integrated courses and long-term programmes for repeaters, aimed at supporting aspirants in the medical and paramedical fields. Several students have secured free seats in these fields through the institution’s training and coaching.
