Not Red Tide Yet, But Karenia Brevis Organism Confirmed In Two Locations Near Michael's Landfall
If destroyed homes, lost livelihoods and mass power outages were not enough to be dealing with, Florida’s victims of Hurricane Michael are facing another potential problem – the state’s toxic red tide.
In the days leading up to the monster storm’s landfall on Wednesday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) found cells of the Karenia brevis organism that causes red tide at two water sampling points close to Panama City and Mexico Beach where the storm swept ashore.
The storm surge of up to 14ft then sent Gulf of Mexico waters crashing over the coastal communities of the Florida Panhandle and far inland. Now, marine biologists fear it carried with it red tide toxins that can cause respiratory distress, flu-like symptoms including coughing and eye, nose and throat irritation.
“Sometimes you get red tide up there in the Panhandle so that’s the issue, the tide’s right along the coastline and now the hurricane, with the storm surge, is going to carry the toxin inland,” said Larry Brand, professor of marine biology and ecology at the University of Miami. “If you carry it up on to the land, these flooded areas are going to have it so those people will be exposed to the toxin For most it’s a short-term thing, like teargas, irritating your eyes and throat and nose. The good thing is you know right away you’re being exposed to it.”
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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/11/hurricane-michael-victims-face-another-potential-problem-toxic-red-tide
