About Kariyachalli Island:
- It is one of the 21 islands in the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park region, located on the southeastern coast of India between Rameshwaram and Thhothukudi.
- The Gulf of Mannar is home to one of the four major coral reefs in India and is one of India’s most ecologically sensitive marine zones.
- The uninhabited island has sunk significantly over the past few decades due to rapid erosion, rising sea levels, and degradation of the surrounding coral reef and seagrass meadows.
- About a third of the coral around the island has bleached on average, and further degradation and disappearance of coral reefs would make the island more vulnerable to erosion, the report stated.
- The Tamil Nadu Government is undertaking restoration under the Tamil Nadu SHORE (Sustainably Harnessing Ocean Resources) project, with World Bank support.
