While the moon drawing closer to earth and growing into a Supermoon, the seas are likely to be very rough on Sunday, when a lot of Ganesh immersions are set to take place in coastal towns across the State. Lest high waves take Ganesh revellers unawares, as they did to four students at Suryalanka in Guntur district on Friday.Thousands of devotees are expected to throng Ramakrishna Beach in Visakhapatnam on Sunday as a large number of idols are expected to be immersed in the sea on conclusion of the 11-day Vinayaka Chavithi celebrations. This apart, the World Tourism Day celebrations too are being held at the beach.
“The tides would be much higher than normal during lunar eclipse. Further, there is a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal and it is likely to intensify further during the next three to four days. This could result in the waves rising higher,” said Prof. K.V.S.R. Prasad of the Department of Meteorology and Oceanography of Andhra University.
The city police are geared up to meet the immersion rush.
“Barricading is in place on the beach to prevent entry of festival revellers from entering into the water to immerse the idols. Only fishermen would be allowed to carry the idols into the water,” ADCP (Traffic) Mahendra Patrudu told The Hindu on Saturday.
The services of 260 fishermen, who are expert swimmers, have been requisitioned to prevent any untoward incidents.
The Prakasam police have beefed up security for safe immersion of idols. Ongole DSP G. Srinivasa Rao said, “We have taken precautionary measures. Expert swimmers with boats will be placed on alert at immersion spots on the coast right through Saturday and Sunday.” In Srikakulam district too police plan to step up vigil along the sea coast. Police said beaches at Kalingapatnam, Bhavanapadu, Mogadalapadu and Kovvada are not fit for swimming or revelry due to their topography.
“We are warning people not to go into the sea at these sensitive spots,” said SP A.S. Khan.
Krishna district police have deployed swimmers at the Manginapudi beach near Machilipatnam.
With the Supermoon triggering in higher waves, Ganesh immersion revellers are being cautioned along the sea coast
