Statement I: There is high salinity in Red Sea. Statement II: Rate of evaporation is high in Red Sea.

The Red Sea is characterized by exceptionally high salinity, often reaching levels as high as 41 parts per thousand [1]. This high salinity is primarily driven by the region's hot and arid climate, which results in extreme rates of evaporation [1]. In such environments, the loss of water through evaporation significantly exceeds the input of fresh water, thereby concentrating the remaining salts . Furthermore, the Red Sea receives a negligible amount of fresh water because no major rivers or rivulets drain into it, and precipitation is minimal . Its semi-enclosed nature and restricted water exchange with the open ocean through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb strait further prevent the dilution of its saline waters [2]. Consequently, the high rate of evaporation is the direct cause of the high salinity levels observed, making Statement II the correct explanation for Statement I.

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 33: Ocean temperature and salinity > High Salinity Regions > p. 519
2. [2] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: The Oceans > Salinity of the Ocean > p. 108