Maldives reef bleaching
North Malé Atoll, Maldives · 4.40°, 73.50° · Coral bleaching
Marine heatwaves in 1998, 2016 and 2024 bleached most of the reefs that the islands are literally built from.
The Maldives are coral atolls barely a metre or two above the sea; the reefs are both the tourist economy and the natural breakwater. The 1998 El Niño killed most shallow corals, surveys after 2016 found around 60% of corals bleached, and 2024 brought another severe event. Reefs recover slowly between heatwaves, and the gaps between events are shrinking.
In the game
Maldives reef bleaching flares up as Polluted water. The fix is a gesture: drag through the floating waste to sweep it up. Done right, it becomes Water cleaned ♻️. Finish all three steps of its chain in one round for a combo, or take your time in Explore mode: a place you fully restore stays green on your map for good.
🧭 Fly there and restore it▶ Play a 60-second round