Torrential Rain Dumps Silt onto Coral Reefs|豪雨泥流入海 泥沙覆蓋墾丁珊瑚礁
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Southern Taiwan experienced several consecutive bouts of torrential rain starting at the end of August. The Hengchun peninsula area experienced landslides, and nearby coral reefs also sustained damage. Houbi Lake's coral reefs were nearly completely covered with silt, reducing them to just one color, gray. Conservationists worry Typhoon Mangkhut will exacerbate the situation.
The water is extremely turbid just a short distance from the shore.
This situation was produced by just one bout of rain.
The situation is even worse underwater, with silt covering everything. These images show the coral reefs near Houbi Lake in Pingtung. The silt has turned the coral reefs gray, making them appear like a polluted city. Local diving instructors say they have never seen such poor visibility or such a large amount of silt in their many years of diving.
In all these years, I have never seen the water so turbid before. If waves stir things up, then you won't be able to see the bottom. In deeper areas, over 10 or 12 meters deep, the amount of silt is very high.
Diving instructors add coral reefs covered in silt cannot go through photosynthesis, and coral bleaching and death may occur if they remain covered for a long time. They have not noticed any landslides that caused mud to flow into the ocean, and believe the silt originated with the heavy and intense rainfall.
The silt level around Houbi Lake is higher, and it has the form of an inner bay, so when the silt goes down it cannot easily come up.
The Kenting National Park Administration says heavy rain is the culprit, as it washed silt into the sea. If silt stops flowing into the sea, ocean waves can wash the silt away. The administration says it will continue to monitor the coastal soil conservation situation.
