Lord Howe island faces ‘major’ coral bleaching as ocean temperatures continue to break records

Scientists have described the thermal stress on the coral reefs around the world heritage-listed Lord Howe as ‘confronting’. Photograph: Patrick Keneally/The Guardian

Scientists fear excessive ocean heat – which is bleaching corals in parts of the Great Barrier Reef – is now hitting the world’s most southern coral reef at the world heritage-listed Lord Howe island.

There are also concerns ocean temperatures are reaching dangerous levels for corals at Australia’s remote Norfolk Island, which is about 1400km east of Queensland’s Gold Coast.