A carpet of green algae bloom has blanketed at least 35,000 square kilometres of water along the coast of eastern China's Shandong province, state media reported.
The algae bloom, or Enteromorpha prolifera, has been emerging on to the beaches of Qingdao and the surrounding area since 2007. Researchers have attributed the phenomenon to climate change and the increase of seaweed farming in neighbouring Jiangsu province.
Green algae is not known to be harmful to people, but can cause extensive damage to marine life. In 2008, Chinese authorities spent millions of dollars and deployed the People's Liberation Army to clean up beaches in the area that were being used for sailing events at the Beijing Olympic Games.
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