Warmer seas causing massive coral bleaching in Maldives

Finally, this danger too is now upon us. Maldivian seas are becoming warmer and corals are turning white, and dead.

Authorities have been warning since the middle of this month that the temperature of the seas in Maldives could rise sharply, causing coral bleaching and death in the reefs. In the past few days, we are seeing the colourful corals turning white.

Corals expel the algae living in their tissues when water temperatures are too high, which is called coral bleaching. The algae, called zooxanthellae, give corals their colour and food, and the two organisms have a mutually beneficial relationship. When the coral expels the algae, it turns completely white.

Experts and divers are posting photos of the bleached corals on social media. They say the corals are bleaching at an alarming rate. 

Marine biologist Nizam Ibrahim took to X, saying that this could be the year after 2016 when coral bleaching is happening at this scale. Eight years ago, 73% of the country's corals died from bleaching.

Four days ago, Nizam released photos of some of the reefs in the southern part of the Kaafu atoll showing dead corals. He said the temperature was usually 28 degrees Celsius at a depth of 10 metres at night but it has now risen to 30 degrees Celsius.

“This is a heartbreaking scene,” Nizam said.

While bleaching does not kill the coral directly, it is under more stress as it whitens, and is less resistant to other threats such as disease, and is thus subject to death.

Corals can recover from bleaching if the temperatures drop. Once the temperature drops to the right level, the algae will return, and the corals will gradually regain their health.

To increase the survival rate of corals, it is important to minimise other factors that damage corals. Some of the things that expose corals to mortality are:

Maldives is one of the world's largest land reclaimers. Large tracts of land acquired years ago have not been utilised still in some islands, but land reclamation projects have been carried out in the very same islands again.