High waves likely to hit Kerala on Thursday

Vizhinjam, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kochi and Kasaragod vulnerable

January 26, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 08:33 am IST - KOCHI:

Coastal dwellers and fishermen should exercise caution on Thursday as High Swell Waves (HSW) measuring over two metres from the Southern Ocean may hit the Kerala coast, warn ocean scientists.

The warning came from the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Telangana, which issued “high wind-wave warning/alert to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Andaman, Nicobar and Goa” between January 24 and 26.

Revised updates would be issued later in the week, the scientists said.

Last week, wave surges were reported on the Kollam, Alappuzha and Kochi coasts. Flooding was reported in many parts of Vypeen, Nayarambalam, and Edavanakad in Kochi.

The HSW in Kochi on Saturday rendered the beach road in Vypeen non-motorable as the invading waves deposited huge quantities of sand on the road. However, the scientists said the HSWs had nothing to do with tsunami triggered by earthquakes on ocean floors.

The high-energy HSWs, which originate from the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean, travel over 4,000 km to reach the Kerala shores, said T.M. Balakrishnan Nair, Head, Ocean Science and Information Services Group of the INCOIS.

The coasts of Vizhinjam, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kochi and Kasaragod are vulnerable to HSW. Its impact would be felt more along the Kerala coast due to the specialties of the coastal topography. Hills in the ocean floor can diffuse their brut power and reduce its impact, he explained.

During the past week, the swells coincided with Spring Tide, the tides with the highest water level which occur once in a month, and waves ran on to the shore resulting in flooding, explained Mr. Nair.

Besides the Spring Tides, the wind plays a crucial role in formation of wave surges. The combined effects of these elements could have devastating results. The HSWs are capable of toppling boats and causing coastal erosion and flooding.

It scientist says it has nothing to do with tsunami

Waves originate 4,000 km away in Southern Ocean

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