Goa is absolutely gorgeous in the monsoons. In fact, it’s also one of the best times of the year to visit as the weather is undeniably cool and pleasant. The rains bring life to the parched earth and everything turns lush and green. The beaches are also amazing with waves crashing on the shore, almost enraged that someone dares to walk on them. But with the beauty of the monsoons, there is also an element of danger on Goa’s beaches. Most recently, 5 tourists drowned at Calangute beach despite there being red flags placed along the shoreline depicting danger in the water. And it is just the beginning of the monsoons and so many lives have already been lost.
Two separate incidents, 2 lives lost at Baga and Sinquerim
While it cannot be stressed enough as to how dangerous the sea is during the monsoons, visiting the beach is not completely off limits. Even Drishti Marine has issued a monsoon advisory for the months between June and September. Therefore swimming in the sea is completely off-limits and even more so where there are no lifeguards or warning flags planted in the sand.
Unfortunately, while locals might heed such warnings, tourists usually don’t. In two separate incidents, two different tourists’ lost their lives at Baga and Sinquerim.
One drowns at Baga
According to the police, in the first case, a group of 8 people believed to be from Mangalore and Tamil Nadu arrived at Baga on Saturday evening and headed to the beach at approximately 6 pm. PI Jivba Dalvi said that 3 of these tourists climbed on the rocks to take pictures and were hit by a huge wave. While two escaped, one was dragged away by the current.
His body was later fished out of the water and he was identified as one Dinesh Ranganathan, 28, from Vellore-Tamil Nadu. An inquest has been done and the body was sent to GMC for post-mortem examination.
Tamil Nadu resident drowns at Sinquerim
The second incident, also a tragedy, happened early Sunday morning. Similar to the case of the tourists that drowned off Calangute beach, four tourists headed to Sinquerim at around 6 am.
All four decided to climb down to the rocks for the purpose of taking pictures. While one clicked the images, three sat on the rocks and supposedly posed. But things took a horrific turn when the waves crashed over the rocks and dragged one of them underwater. The boy who drowned was identified as 33-year-old Sasikumar Vasan from Tamil Nadu. It is not clear whether the body has been found but the police are still investigating.
Watch the video below and you will see just how dangerous the sea is during the monsoons.
Drishti releases a statement on the lives lost in these two tragedies
Drishti CEO, Ravi Shankar said, “It’s devastating to see another life lost. We advise caution to all those visiting the beaches in Goa. Please do not venture into the sea during the monsoons, i.e. till approx. 30th September 2018. Keep away from the inter-tidal zone, which includes rocky hills, cliffs, roadsides abutting the sea that sees crashing waves. The sea conditions are extremely rough with the average wind speed being 25 km per hour and gusting winds up to 48 km per hour. The waves have an approximate interval of 17.50 secs on an average and can often scale a wave height of 2.9 meters. Visitors are requested to maintain at least 100 meters distance from breaking waves. A dry shore can be submerged in 15 seconds with the next significant wave. It is our request to all those in Goa to please not take this cautionary advise lightly, as ignoring such warnings can be fatal.”
Information credit – http://www.navhindtimes.in/another-2-tourists-meet-watery-grave-on-weekend/
ItsGoa/JUNE/KDGP
