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by Hassan Moosa
The reef of Villingili
Island, just a few minutes away from Malé, has suffered damage from
reclamation, dredging and harbor construction. It took another hit this year
when warmer ocean temperatures, caused by the El Nino, killed a majority of its
coral. On a recent dive, I found a graveyard on the island’s reef slope. A
slimy layer of brown green algae covered the dead corals, while the few that still
held out were bleached white. Some had startling spots of purple and pink,
indicating a former more colorful appearance.
