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During the high season of 1997 – 1998 the Maldives were hit by a very bad El-Nino.  Water temperatures rose to a scarily high 35 °C in some areas of the Maldives and 95% of the countries corals were killed off. The Lhaviyani Atoll was no exception to this, and during this time Prodivers saw many of its dive and snorkel sites badly affected. El Nino occurs when the ocean circulation reverses; this can have huge impacts on global weather patterns, and often causes unusually warm waters to enter the Maldivian reef systems.

These warm waters stress the coral growth causing widespread bleaching, and in the case of 1998 deaths of coral.

Fortunately for us the rich abundance of coral on offer in the Maldives proved resilient enough to bounce back from this devastating event meaning 15 years later we will have great diving on offer for all of you.