<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhile the diving remains spectacular, the Maldives' environment faces serious threats. Over the past decade, millions of cubic meters of sand have been dredged from the ocean floor to expand existing islands or create entirely new ones, artificial islands for resort construction<\/strong>This process, called \u201cland reclamation,\u201d causes irreversible damage to the ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHuge dredgers suck up sand from the depths, creating clouds of sediment that spread for tens of kilometers. This sediment settles on coral reefs, depriving them of light, causing them to lose their color and die. While marine biologists are trying to move corals before work begins on some projects, thousands of others are buried under the sand. Local residents report dead fish and rays washed ashore as a result of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n