strange white foam washed up on the shores

 white foam washed up on the shores

 

Strange foam and dead fish invade Australian beaches... a worrying development

Officials said an Australian state closed two beaches after dead fish and a strange white foam washed up on the shores, with surfers reporting feeling unwell.

Sam Gillard, chief scientific officer with the South Australian Environment Protection Authority, said he suspected a microscopic algal bloom caused by the unusual weather conditions, which has sickened surfers and marine life, in addition to the strange foam that has covered hundreds of meters (yards) of coastline.

"It's extremely worrying," Gillard told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "It's unusual on this scale. At this time of year, when the weather conditions change, you sometimes get small algal blooms, but something of this magnitude is definitely a bit unusual."

The Department of Environment and Water said in a statement that Waitpinga Beach and the adjacent Parsons Beach—both south of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia—have been closed to the public since Monday following a "fish kill incident in the area. " The department said the beaches will be reopened as soon as possible, with reports of dozens of dead fish washing up on the beaches.