Muscat: Marine scientists have warned that Australia's Great Barrier Reef is facing a severe and widespread bleaching event that could escalate into an "ecosystem collapse," driven by the effects of this year's El Ni±o climate phenomenon. The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches along the Queensland coast, is the world's largest coral reef system. It recently escaped being placed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage in Danger.

According to Oman News Agency, Morgan Pratchett, a marine ecologist at James Cook University in Queensland, said the intense El Ni±o is a major cause for concern. This year's event is expected to set records for intensity, with rising sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific triggering global shifts in wind patterns, atmospheric pressure, and rainfall.