Tsunami destroys coral

Scientists surveying American Samoa’s coral reefs say the September 29 tsunami obliterated some corals and damaged others to the point that they may not recover.

Researchers say more assessments will be needed to get a full sense of how the disaster affected coral in the US territory.

But in at least one area the damage was so severe and the affected area already in such bad shape before the tsunamis that the coral may never return.