Marine heatwave hits Pacific, raising fears of a new hot 'blob'

Phenomenon could be as damaging as 'the blob' that caused algae blooms and killed sea lions several years ago

The ocean off the western coast of North America is five degrees Fahrenheit hotter than usual after warming at an unusually rapid rate, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa).

It has been dubbed the "north-east Pacific marine heatwave of 2019".