Jellyfish cause allergies to tourists at Nagore Beach

Trichy: Tourists visiting Nagore Beach are developing allergic reactions due to a surge of jellyfish washing ashore. To protect them, the Nagapattinam district administration has launched awareness campaigns and installed warning signs at the beach.

District Collector K J Praveen Kumar convened a meeting with senior officials at the collectorate on Monday to address growing complaints from tourists visiting the Nagore Dargah, who had encountered jellyfish while bathing in the sea.

The collector directed the Nagapattinam municipality to install multilingual warning signs and use public address systems to alert the public. He also instructed the department of fisheries and fishermen welfare to train volunteers on jellyfish identification and first-aid measures for sting victims.

According to sources, changes such as shifts in ocean currents, salinity, and sea surface temperatures occurring in Tamil Nadu’s coastal regions are contributing to increased jellyfish population, particularly during the summer. Species found in these waters can trigger allergic reactions upon contact.

The administration emphasised the need to take proactive measures to ensure the safety of devotees and tourists. It urged visitors to avoid direct contact with marine life on the shore.