Wildlife

Cyclone Debbie Demolishes Great Barrier Reef

As severe bleaching wreaks havoc on the coral, the Great Barrier Reef has had to deal with another devastating blow — Cyclone Debbie.

Fierce 260kph winds tore through the Whitsunday Islands before making landfall at Airlie Beach, and news.com.au went underwater to see the destruction first hand.

The once dazzlingly beautiful coral has been reduced to rubble by the cyclone, the diverse life that dived between its delicate fronds wiped out, with bloodied pieces of dead fish lying on the seabed.

Branches have snapped off and huge pieces of coral lifted up and thrown aside as Debbie raged through the reef.