Oceanographic researchers from the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences & Technology at the University of Ruhuna in Matara deployed real-time wave telemetry loggers along the Polhena reef and Dondra headland today, September 23, 2026.

The study investigates how fringing coral reefs act as natural breakwaters to mitigate shoreline erosion during intensified monsoonal wave impacts. Senior scientists noted that preliminary baseline telemetry demonstrates significant wave energy reduction by healthy reef structures, underscoring the vital ecological role of southern marine habitats in buffering coastal infrastructure against extreme weather phenomena.