REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Study by Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) through Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Program (COREMAP) shows that 30.4 percent of Indonesia's coral reefs are severely damaged and affecting people's life.

Head of Research Center for Oceanography in LIPI, Zainal Arifin said that he and his team made some intensive research in 15 cities and districts.

"We observed coral reefs in eight cities and districts in western Indonesia and seven cities and districts in central and eastern Indonesia," Arifin said recently.

Another researcher, Giyanto explained that eight districts and cities in western Indonesia were Tapanuli Tengah, Nias, Nias Selatan, Mentawai, Natuna, Riau islands, Lingga and Batam, while seven districts and cities in central and eastern Indonesia were Pangkep islands, Selayar, Wakatobi, Sikka, Biak Numfor and Raja Ampat.

Coral reefs damage in Nias and Mentawai that is caused by earthquake and tsunami in 2004. But, based on study between 2006-2013, coral reefs in western Indonesia increase four percent per year while in western part of Indonesia the increase  reaches three percent per year. 

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