ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Red tide crisis in Chiloé

Have you ever been to the beach and seen some really cool looking red stuff floating in the water? That's called algae, and sometimes it can grow really fast and cause a big problem.

In Chiloé, a place with lots of beaches and beautiful scenery, there's been something called a red tide crisis. This means that there's a lot of algae growing in the water and it's causing problems for the environment and the people who live there.

The algae is called Karenia mikimotoi, and when it grows so fast and so much, it can make the water look red or brown. This is why it's called a red tide. The problem is that this algae can also be toxic to fish and other sea creatures. When they eat too much of it, they can get sick and even die.

This is a big problem for the people who depend on fishing for their livelihoods. It's also a problem for people who like to eat seafood, because the fish might be contaminated by the toxic algae.

Scientists are studying the red tide crisis in Chiloé to try to understand why it's happening and how to stop it. They think that things like pollution and climate change might be contributing to the problem.

Hopefully, scientists can find a solution soon so that Chiloé can go back to being a beautiful, healthy place for everyone to enjoy.