Mass coral bleaching catastrophe hits Maldives, about 60% coral colonies under threat

New Delhi: After the Great Barrier reef, Maldives is the new victim of climate change. About 60% of the once-pristine coral reefs of the Maldives have been bleached and in some area this figures reaches to 90%.

The study was conducted by the Maldives Marine Research Centre and the Environmental Protection Agency, in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Indian Ocean archipelago is known for its colorful coral gardens but The Ocean Agency says that a strong El Nino phenomena is giving rise to bleaching event and some of the country’s most treasured reefs are now barely recognizable.

According to the Guardian, The Maldives contains around 3% of the world’s coral reefs and the islands are considered particularly at risk of climate change because they are low-lying and threatened by sea level rises.

The bleaching event is becoming more frequent these days due to sudden global climate change. It happens due to warmer sea temperature that forces corals to expel algae, that gives them color.