Great Barrier Reef Clouded by Sediments Stirred by Storm The
terrific force of Cyclone Yasi didn't just impact the people and
places on the mainland of Australia, it also impacted the Great
Barrier Reef , just off Australia's eastern shore. With high
winds, a powerful storm surge, and torrential rains, Cyclone
Yasi churned the waters of the Coral Sea off Australia's
Queensland coast. On Feb. 4, 2011, as the clouds began to clear,
evidence of the storm's violence lingered in the water. The
normally clear, shallow water of the Great Barrier Reef was
clouded with sediment brought to the surface in the turbulent
water. In this image, taken by NASA's Aqua satellite, light
reflects off the light-colored sediment, turning the ocean
electric blue. Sections of the reef are visible amid the clouded
water. The reef has well-defined shapes and is greener than its
surroundings. The section of reef shown here is near Whitsunday
Island National Park. The large image, which shows a wider area,
reveals sediment in the water a