Marine heatwaves a growing threat to physical, mental health of humans: Researchers

Marine heatwaves a growing threat to physical, mental health of humans: Researchers
NEW DELHI: (Aug 13) Marine heatwaves, which are prolonged periods of unusually high sea surface temperatures, are posing a growing threat to humans’ physical and mental health, researchers said.

Extreme ocean temperatures can contribute to more intense weather systems, increasing the risks of injury, death and displacement from storms and flooding.

Writing in a comment for the journal Nature Sustainability, the researchers from Australia’s Adelaide University and the University of Hong Kong outlined how marine heatwaves can trigger a cascade of effects — worsening extreme weather events, reducing seafood supplies and increasing mental health challenges for coastal communities — eventually affecting human health.