Phuket coral reef recovers from coral bleaching

[News Bandit]

RANONG, Oct 12 - About ten per cent of the coral reefs along Thailand's Andaman coast have recovered following previous incidents of higher sea temperatures causing coral bleaching.

Local official Chairat Tipsarn of the Coastal and Marine Resources Department office, responsible for Thailand's Andaman coast in Phuket, Pang-nga, and Ranong provinces, said the latest survey with coral recovery was a good sign.

However, the situation must be closely monitored, for the coral is now in its revitalisation period.

The local Coastal and Marine Resources Department office asked related parties for cooperation to indicate boat anchorage areas for different kinds of boats in order to not negatively affect the coral habitat.

Severe coral bleaching has happened in Thailand four times as a result of combined El Nino and La Nina storm effects causing sea surface temperature anomalies.

The first such phenomenon occurred in Phuket in 1979. (MCOT online news)

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