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Manila Bulletin

Philippines

Seawater turns red in Ozamiz, alarming residents

Philippines

Seawater turns red in Ozamiz, alarming residents

By Bonita Ermac

ILIGAN CITY – Residents of coastal Barangays San Roque, Sta. Cruz, Carmen Annex, and Triunfo in Ozamiz City were alarmed when the sea water turned blood red last Sunday.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) (MANILA BULLETIN)

However, upon examination, the local government unit and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource (BFAR) said a certain type of plankton present in the water caused the sea water to turn red.

Misamis Occidental Provincial Fishery Officer Cirilo “Loloy” Bagcat said water analysis showed the presence of plankton gonyaulax. "Na-analyze na ang sample sa tubig, duna siya'y presence of plankton gonyaulax, maoy nakapula sa tubig (There is a presence of the plankton gonyaulax and that was what caused the water to turn red),” said Bagcat.

Bagcat said the local government unit and the BFAR have advised residents not to harvest, sell, and eat all kinds of shellfish in the meantime.

Bagcat said the red color in the water has already disappeared but local authorities, including the maritime police and the Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR), are closely monitoring the waters in Ozamiz.

"Nawa naman gyud tong gapula, nagpatches-patches na lang, murag na-distribute na (The color has disappeared, there are still patches though)," Bagcat said.

Bagcat added that a similar incident was observed by his counterpart in Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte, particularly in Barangay Mangga.

"Naa nay nakita nila didto, sila na mag-analyze kung mao ba gihapon klasi nga plankton nga nag-appear, wala pay feedback (They have also observed it there. They will still have to analyze the waters if it is the same plankton but until now they have no feedback yet)," he added.

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