DAR ES SALAAM, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A new type of weed has invaded Lake Victoria, affecting marine transport on the world's second-largest freshwater lake shared by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, a Tanzanian official said on Tuesday.
Jarome Kayombo, manager of the Lake Victoria Zone for Tanzania's National Environment Management Council, told state-owned Daily News that the Salvinia weed was first identified in August last year, with investigations linking its source to human activities, mainly agriculture along the lake.
Kayombo said the weed clings to the bottom of marine vessels, especially propellers, making navigation difficult.
Research shows that the weed multiplies two to three times within eight days, thriving on the lake's abundant nutrients, the manager said, adding that winds further accelerate the weed's spread.
"We collected 36 tonnes in four days recently, yet by the next day, it had multiplied as if nothing had been removed," said Kayombo.
He said the weed also affects aquatic life by blocking oxygen from reaching deeper water levels, disrupting marine reproduction. ■
