The mystery of Ramlet al-Baida’s waters is solved... Ministry of Environment reveals the real reason behind the sea’s color change

The Ministry of Environment clarified the reality behind the widely circulated scene on social media showing a change in the color of the waters at Ramlet al-Baida beach in Beirut, after the video sparked a wave of questions about the reasons for the water appearing in an unusual color.

The ministry confirmed, after referring the file to the National Center for Marine Sciences, affiliated with the National Council for Scientific Research, to conduct the necessary tests and analyses, that the change in the water’s color was not the result of an oil leak or the dumping of a diesel cargo into the sea, as had been circulated. Rather, it was due to a natural phenomenon known as excessive algal bloom.

The inspection results indicated that this phenomenon is mainly caused by rising sea temperatures and the availability of additional nutrients, particularly nitrates and phosphates, which help algae grow densely and lead to a change in the water’s color.

The ministry noted that the phenomenon did not last long due to the nature of Lebanon’s open coastline, where the movement of marine currents and waves helps renew the water and prevent stagnation, limiting the development of more dangerous environmental phenomena.

It also explained that algal bloom is not new to Lebanon’s shores, as similar cases have been recorded in recent years, stressing that monitoring of the beach’s environmental situation will continue.