KARACHI: Samples of coral, seashell, coralline algae and a number of dead fishes, crabs and shrimps have been collected during a survey of the newly-formed island off the coast of Gwadar.

The island was formed by a powerful earthquake last week, killing more than 500 people and affecting hundreds and thousands in Balochistan’s Awaran district.

Abdul Rahim, coordinator of the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P), Gwadar, conducted the survey with the help of local experts.

The team has spotted a number of marine organisms, dead or alive, on the island since the area is rich in biodiversity. It identified four species of small encrusting and branching coral species along with seashells, sea cucumbers and algae.The team also noticed gaseous emissions and believed that it was methane gas.

“Colonies of coral were found all over the island. It is a positive sign because most other features of marine biodiversity are associated with coral colonies. The biomass of this particular area is very satisfactory and the area is known for rich biodiversity.

“This is evident from the extensive fishing carried out in the area as, according to local fishermen, more than 200 fishermen daily fish in the surrounding area where the new island has emerged,” says the team’s preliminary report.

The dead fishes found on the island included groupers, flat-head, moray eel and grunt.

“All these fishes got stranded on the island when seawater ran out as a large part of the seabed was raised when tectonic plates pushed together,” it says.

According to the team, the muddy island between two and three kilometres away from the coast is round; about 500 feet long and 60 feet above the sea level.

Citing indigenous fishermen’s accounts, the report states that a similar island had emerged near the Gwadar coast in 1945 following an earthquake with its epicentre in the northern Arabian Sea. The last island, according to fishermen, was similar in size but it was less elevated as compared to the present island.

“The communities living here also named it zilzila jazeera [earthquake island] in their local language. The island stayed prominent and visible for almost a year and was used by fishermen as a temporary abode during fishing trips. They used to cook food and dry their fishing nets on the island,” the report says.

It is important to mention here that the earthquake also caused changes on the seafloor near Ormara and at least three ‘extrusions’ have been reported in the area.

According to the National Institute of Oceanography experts, the land masses are bodies of mud which have been pushed out due to release of highly pressurised methane gas present in the form of hydrates hundreds of meters below the seabed.

Only the land mass off the coast of Gwadar is accessible which, experts believe, will disappear in a few months because of wave action and reduction in gas pressure.