Images show Australia’s Great Barrier Reef being hit by an “extremely large” patch of muddy flood water that experts say could harm the world wonder.
The polluted floodwater is flowing out as far as 60 kilometres from the Queensland coast following weeks of heavy rain.
It’s thought that around 600km of the reef’s outer edges have been affected by the dirty water.
Scientists say that the water is likely to contain nitrogen and pesticide chemicals that could potentially kill coral and seagrass should it stay around for some time.
Dr Frederieke Kroon from the Australian Institute of Marine Science told the BBC: “Generally a bit of wind and wave action can break the plumes up quite quickly, but we have literally no wind so they’re just sitting there hanging.
She added that the water had sparked algae growth, turning some patches of water into a “thick blanket of green.”
Researchers have taken samples of the water and will record what is in them.
Queensland has been battered by heavy rains with parts of the state seeing three years’ worth of rainfall in the space of a week.
Last week, two people were found dead in floodwaters in the city of Townsville.
Up to half a million cattle have died in the flooding with the clean-up operation now underway.
Last October, experts warned that the entire Great Barrier Reef is at risk of bleaching and death.
The US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration forecast that between October 2018 and February 2019, there is a 60 percent chance that the entire reef will be subject to coral bleaching.
While there is a 90 percent chance of a lesser level coral bleaching.
