Divers are raising alarms here after they noticed some coral species in Sarangani Bay are dying due to reported coral bleaching.

Underwater photographer Leonard Pe said he saw patches of corals were dying during a dive early this month.

“I was dumbfounded from what I saw in my recent dive. I’m not an expert on underwater biology but from what I saw with my own eyes, the reef is literally dying,” said in his Facebook account.

Pe blamed global warming and pollution for the death of the corals.

British dive expert Chris Dearne confirmed what is now becoming a phenomenon in Southeast Asia and Australia where the Coral Triangle and the Great Reef Barrier are found respectively.

Dearne, a long time resident in General Santos City, said they saw coral bleaching in the world famous Tinoto Reef Wall beginning September.

He however said not all coral species are being affected by the bleaching.

“Only some particular species.  Otherwise, the others around them are fine,” Dearne said.

But Dearne also revealed that sea temperature in Sarangani Bay has risen in recent weeks.

“We recorded temperatures of up to 30.5 degrees centigrade up from the normal 29-degree temperature of the bay early this year,” Dearne said in a recent interview.

Marine biologists said a rise of more than two degrees in sea temperatures will cause damage to coral reefs and formations which are sensitive to rapid temperature changes.

Underwater current in Sarangani Bay reportedly stretches up to the Sulawesi Sea.

Prolonged dry season in Southeast Asia early this year is believed to also cause the rise in sea temperatures.

Dearne however said the reef will recover.

“It’s a sad event but the reef will recover.  Just give it time,” Dearne said.

Dearne, who owns a dive shop and guides local and foreign divers in Sarangani bay, said it will take two years for the corals to recover from coral bleaching.

The British national also revealed that similar occurrence has been reported in Davao.

Australia’s Andrew Bartlett said in his blog at www.asiancorrespondent.com that “the bleaching event has also hit the richest marine biodiversity zone on the planet, the ‘Amazon Rainforest’ of the seas, known as the Coral Triangle, which is bounded by Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.