June 27 (Bloomberg) -- Beijing Olympics organizers grappling to cut pollution in time for the Summer Games face a new threat: a plague of algae at the sailing venue in Qingdao.

The eastern city's coastline has become caked in a layer of blue-green algae, including at the site of the Olympic sailing competitions taking place from Aug. 9-13.

``It's a climatic disaster and we can only hope the heavens will be kind to us in August,'' said Wang Haitao, the city's chief spokesman, in a phone interview today.

Warmer waters, increased rainfall and high levels of nutrients in the ocean brought about the algae explosion along vast stretches of the 800-kilometer (500-mile) coastline, according to the Qingdao Weather Bureau.

Qingdao, located 830 kilometers from Beijing, is mobilizing more than 1,000 fishing boats to scoop up the algae and contain the outbreak, Wang said.

``We can only haul the blue-green algae manually and we're doing all we can with our arms full and by the boat-load,'' said Wang, a sailing spokesman for the Beijing Games organizing committee. ``All you can see is fishing boats along the coast.''

Beijing officials, who have labeled this year's event the ``Green Olympics,'' are shutting factories and taking cars off the road in a bid to reduce pollution in time for the Aug. 8 opening ceremony. The International Olympic Committee has said it will reschedule events if smog threatens athletes' health.

The clean-up operation on Qingdao's waters was starting to take effect, Wang said.

``The blue-green algae are becoming less visible as we soldier on,'' he said.

Qingdao's government is spending 3.28 billion yuan ($478 million) on a sailing dock and facilities for the Olympics.

To contact the reporter on this story: Wing-Gar Cheng in Beijing at wgcheng@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: June 27, 2008 02:52 EDT