All 21 of Mississippi's beaches are closed because of toxic algae

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/07/us/mississippi-beaches-algae-closure-trnd/index.html

(CNN)Summer's the perfect time to hit the beach -- unless you live in Mississippi.

Along the state's Gulf Coast, all 21 of the state's beaches have been shut down for swimming due to a blue-green harmful algal bloom (HAB), according to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

HABs occur when "colonies of algae -- simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater -- grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people" or wildlife, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says.

The toxic algae can cause rashes, stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, the state agency warned.

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