One-fifth of the coral off a small islet in the Andaman Sea were destroyed after roughly 50,000 tons of cliff collapsed into the water.
Divers today found the massive rock fall, which happened Monday, lowered the sea floor by 5 meters. The rock split into two pieces now jutting from the water.
The incident happened at Koh Mae Urai, also known as Koh Talu, amid strong monsoon waves and winds. While the exact cause is still unknown, the authorities found many fractures and cavities around the island and declared it hazardous to investigate further , according to Prayoon Pongpan, Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park chief.
He suggested that tourists and fisher boats should stay away because there is a chance more rock could collapse.
The island is 1 kilometer west from Koh Kai, a famous tourist attraction and scuba destination known for a bizarre rock formation that looks like the head of a chicken.
Reader Interactions