Mining to blame for islands to sink beneath waves
Two small islands in South Asia’s first marine biosphere reserve have sunk into the sea primarily as a result of coral reef mining, experts say.
The islets were in a group in the Gulf of Mannar, between India and Sri Lanka.
Fishermen had indiscriminately and illegally mined invaluable coral reefs around the islets of Poomarichan and Villanguchalli for many decades, said S Balaji, chief conservator of forests and wildlife for that region of Tamil Nadu state.
Mr Balaji said rising sea level as a result of global warming was also a factor behind the islands’ submergence.
Mandatory global warming BS ?????????????????
But this was questioned by Simon Holgate from the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory in Liverpool, UK, who said observations showed that the sea level in the region had been rising slower than the global average.
“I think that global sea level rise had little impact on the disappearance of these islands and it must be due to other reasons, possibly the mining of coral reefs,” Dr Holgate told BBC News.
Called out ?????????????????
They knew back then there would be a guy looking out his Manhattan window and talking about the flooded streets he imagined were coming. They wanted to save the world from him. God bless them.
opps—how did i post this under the wrong post???
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13374325
“marcdraco
12th May 2011 – 23:08
Another bit of quality journalism from Mr Blastland (not that’s not sarcasm). The BBC could do with a few more reporters/writers like this who know the difference between sensationalist pundits and rational facts. As dispassionate writers, we’re often faced with “elephants” that no one wants to discuss – but Mike has the guts and the brains to do both. Hear hear!”