Storm Emma dumped tens of thousands of dead marine animals on British coasts

In the south-east of England, in the county of Kent, tens of thousands of dead starfish and other bottom inhabitants washed ashore. The reason is the weather: due to the storm "Emma", which in Europe was called the "beast from the East", heavy snowfalls took place on the islands and the temperature dropped sharply in coastal waters.

Source: Independent

The phenomenon was photographed by 47-year-old environmental activist Lara Maiklem. The woman went to the beach with her five-year-old twins Edie and Bo: the children were impressed, but at the same time the sight seemed repulsive to them. In addition to many starfish, the British found a pair of artificial teeth on the sand, dead gulls and other birds.

The woman came to the coast because she heard about the invasion of starfish from friends. Besides them and the children, there were quite a lot of people on the beach.

Lara Miklem

According to Michael, the starfish occupied the entire coast from Ramsgate to Broadstairs (about three kilometers between the cities).

Sea cuttings, mussels, other mollusks and even seal carcasses have washed up on other British beaches. Miklem said that on a walk a few days ago she found a lot of dead seagulls on the beach.

Fisherman Jack Sanderson from East Yorkshire

The skipper of the fishing vessel, Jason Harrison, suggested that 80 to 90 percent of the entire local lobster population died: "In thirty years I have seen such mass deaths of marine animals only three times."

Chris Keyworth states: "This is a natural phenomenon that occurs all along the coast every year and without any storms, but usually different creatures die in turn: one day it's crabs, another starfish, the third jellyfish."