Brown,-B.E.; Suharsono. Damage and recovery of coral reefs affected by El Nino related seawater warming in the Thousand Islands, Indonesia. CORAL-REEFS. 1990. vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 163-170. Extensive coral bleaching occurred during seawater warming (as a result of the 1982/3 El Nino Southern Oscillation event) in 1983 on the shallow reefs in the Java Sea. Mean seawater temperatures rose by 2-3 degree C over a six month period with values greater than 33 degree C being recorded between 1200-1500 h. As many as 80-90% of corals died on the reef flats at the study sites, with the major casualties being branching species in the genera Acropora and Pocillopora . Five years after the event the community structure of the study sites has recovered significantly, though coral cover is still 50% of its former level. Contrasting patterns of recovery at two selected sites, in close proximity to each other, are discussed.