Beach-goers stunned as sea in Puducherry turns red

Experts have said this could be due to algal bloom; officials said samples of the water have been taken, and the results are awaited

The entire stretch of coastal waters from Vaithikuppam on the northern side of the Promenade, up until Gandhi statue, turned red on October 17, 2023, residents said | Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar

Beach-goers in Puducherry were shell-shocked on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 after they witnessed the strange phenomenon of the sea turning red.

The entire stretch of coastal waters from Vaithikuppam on the northern side of the Promenade, up until Gandhi statue has become red, reportedly due to algal bloom. The reddish tinge was observed over the past one week at several patches along the coastline, local residents said.

| Video Credit: S.S. Kumar

According to Aurofilio Schiavina, a coastal management expert and member of PondyCan, a civil society organisation, “Industrial pollution or ‘Red Tide’ can be factors behind the sea turning red. This phenomenon has been observed in Vaithikuppam and a few other patches on the coastline over the past one week. Red Tide is a toxic algal bloom and is known to be harmful to marine life. The exact reason can be ascertained only after a chemical and biological analysis of the water samples is done.”

A senior official attributed the reason to be Red Tide or algal bloom. The discolouration of water is mainly due to an increase in nutrients, he said. Blue and green algal blooms have also been reported in several beaches in other States. “We are examining the algal bloom and have collected samples. The results are awaited,” he said.