The government used heavy equipment to clear thick piles of rotting sargassum from the beach at Island Harbour on Sunday, 31 August.
The work took place as nearby Vivien Vanterpool Primary School prepares to reopen to its pupils for the new academic year on Wednesday, 3 September.
Along with a CAT excavator, the government also deployed its Barber Surf Rake – a specialist tractor-towed beach cleaner which it acquired in February – to remove the seaweed.
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It then transported the organic matter away from the location in a flatbed truck to minimise the foul smell that can often deter beachgoers and disrupt local businesses.
In September, 2024, sargassum buildup on the Island Harbour beach near Vivien Vanterpool Primary School led to mould growth inside the educational facility.
Pupils has to transition to remote learning while the problem was resolved.
The floating seaweed again prompted government action as it began piling up along the shoreline in April this year.
Days later, the youngest school pupils at Vivien Vanterpool Primary School were asked to learn from home as the smell of sargassum lingered in the area.
Click below to watch the sargassum clean-up efforts:
