Our corals have begun to bleach once again for the heat, warns ocean expert

Health official asks the elderly especially to take precautions. five deaths reported from the north

The prevailing heat is likely to go down in the coming days, and showers of 75–100 mm are to be expected in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central, and Wayamba provinces by next month, Meteorology Department Director General Athula Karunanayake said.

He said that the primary contributing factor to the extreme heat was global climate change.

The Health Ministry’s Environmental Health Division Deputy Director General, Dr. Ananda Jayalal, said that the elderly should take extra precaution during these hot days. “What we understand is that there’s a serious heat wave in the Jaffna Peninsula. The elderly and those who are weak should drink enough water and cool themselves. When they are unable to do that, their body temperature goes up, and they are at risk of getting a heat stroke,” he said. Five deaths have been reported from the northern area so far, with heat being a contributary factor. Dr. Jayalal said that some had been under the influence of liquor. He also warned that kidney and lung diseases could get worse.

“The body has a temperature control mechanism where it has to maintain around 37.4 degrees centigrade. In a cold climate, the body can conserve that heat and maintain that temperature, but when it goes beyond 37.4 centigrade, the body absorbs the heat,” he said.

Ruhuna University's Professor in Oceanography, Terney Pradeep Kumara, said that corals have begun to bleach in many reefs around Sri Lanka. “Bleaching is a symptom of coral and animal stress," he said, explaining that “the corals can handle the heat for a week or two longer, and if the environment does not return to the normal situation, they will die.”

Prof. Terney highlighted the seriousness of the impact of global warming by saying that even the Great Barrier Reef, which is the largest natural ecosystem in the world, was severely affected.

“In 1998, we had the first mass bleaching in Sri Lanka because of El Niño, and this is going to be the worst after that first bleaching,” he said. “We can see some cold currents going up and down, but that is not enough to cool them down in this severe heat,” Prof. Terney said. “This is not a good sign at all, as this will ultimately affect fisheries, tourism, and even our own food security, and on the other hand, it will affect biodiversity,” he said, adding that “this is a good eye-opener for us to change our lifestyle.”