Dead coral found at Great Barrier Reef as widespread bleaching event unfolds

Marine park’s chief scientist says aerial surveys so far indicate bleaching worst off Townsville

Dead corals are being recorded in aerial surveys across the Great Barrier Reef in what the marine park’s chief scientist says is a widespread and serious bleaching event on the world heritage icon.

Aerial surveys have covered half of the 2,300km reef, with the worst bleaching observed in the park’s central region off Townsville, where corals on some reefs are dead and dying.

The unfolding bleaching comes ahead of a 10-day UN monitoring mission to the reef due to start on Monday.

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