Ningaloo and Great Barrier Reef hit by ‘profoundly distressing’ simultaneous coral bleaching events

Scientists say widespread damage to both world heritage-listed reefs is heartbreaking' as WA reef accumulates highest amount of heat stress on record

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

Australia's two world heritage-listed reefs - Ningaloo on the west coast and the Great Barrier Reef on the east - have been hit simultaneously by coral bleaching that reef experts have called heartbreaking" and a profoundly distressing moment".

Teams of scientists on both coasts have been monitoring and tracking the heat stress and bleaching extending across thousands of kilometres of marine habitat, which is likely to have been driven by global heating.