Home / Weather News /

New coral reef discovery in Pacific

07:00
16 November 2024

World's biggest coral
New coral reef discovery in Pacific

Settings for external content

Privacy policy

A huge coral reef has been discovered in the Pacific Ocean.

The coral reef was discovered by a videographer working on a ship in remote parts of the Southwest Pacific, near the Solomon Islands.

The diver had initially mistaken the coral reef for a ship. It was measured at 34 metres wide, 32 metres long and over 5 metres high. This makes it possibly the largest coral ever discovered in the Pacific.

The coral reef is deeper than most other reefs. The depth is what is perhaps protecting the coral from rapidly rising sea surface temperatures.

An example of a bleached coral reef in shallow waters.

The reef is brown, but also has some yellow, red, pink and blue spots. Little else is known, but the coral appears to be in good health.

Nature organisation IUCN on Wednesday 13th November came out with the news that 44% of tropical and subtropical coral species are threatened with extinction.

The main cause of this is the rapid warming of the sea surface. Corals fade as a result and eventually die off.

More on the topic
Monday 23 June 2025

Gusts of up to 45 mph

Wind warnings start the week
Sunday 22 June 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Radiant lightning strikes and sunrises
Saturday 28 June 2025

Grab the sun cream

High UV levels to end the week
All weather news
This might also interest you
Sunday 29 June 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Colourful and stormy skylines
Wednesday 2 July 2025

Isolated strikes here

Storms across Europe mostly miss UK
Friday 4 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Gusty and wet end to the week
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.ie

facebooktwitteryouTubeContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement