The red flag grew on seven beaches in Valencia in eastern Spain, and bans people from entering the water. The alert was issued after a mysterious material appeared in the sand.
Guardia Civil's Environment Unit, Seprona, is investigating what the ingredients are and where they come from. Spotted white matter began to appear on the coastline several miles of Valencia's Safa area over the weekend. Currently, Red Flags grew up on the beaches of Guard Mardela Safer, Gandia, Pyle, Oliva, Miramur, Dimes and Bellegaard. During this time of year, many are popular hot spots with tourists in the UK.
Photos posted by local governments showed long lines of small white particles that appeared to be washed almost at tide size. They appeared to be similar in size to small plastic pellets shipped worldwide to manufacture home and industrial products. However, the Spanish authorities immediately gave no indication of what the material was.
According to the Olive Press, Gandia restrictions are also a precaution in the area about 500 feet north of the breakwater, as well as in Malanie de Lafalcade Beach. Closures in affected areas began to be implemented Monday morning.
The Valencia Port Authority is also notified by the maritime captain, and flows into the Mediterranean of Gandia, just north of the affected beach, with the highest concentration towards the mouth of the port river.
Maritime captains continue to monitor areas through maritime rescue teams, detecting new areas that may be affected.
This will come as worrying news for the British who flock to the Valencia coast every year. In 2024, an estimated 2.4 million British tourists visited Valencia. According to javeamigos.com, the number is a significant 11.3% increase compared to the previous year, making the UK a major source market for tourists in Valencia.
This latest closure comes days after a popular beach in Lanzaroth, the Canary Islands, was forced to close after a shocking public health warning. After testing revealed microbiological contamination, the public was urged to move away from the seas of Playa Dorada. The Tiza Town Council imposed a temporary swimming ban on Tuesday after water samples returned to positive due to signs of contamination.
The beach will only resume after testing confirms that the water is safe to swim.
