Swell surge alert: High waves warning for Kerala, TN, and Lakshadweep coasts
The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has issued a warning that Kerala, southern Tamil Nadu, and the Lakshadweep islands will face a severe swell surge on Wednesday and Thursday. This swell surge refers to sudden ocean flooding that causes seawater to rush inland. These waves form in the deep ocean and travel long distances before reaching the coast as heavy, rolling surges.
The coastal areas, especially low-lying regions, are particularly vulnerable to this danger. The Hyderabad-based institute advises a complete halt to all operational and recreational activities along the beach or nearshore areas. Authorities are urging small vessels and boats to stay away from the shore for the next 48 hours and maintain a safe distance from one another to prevent collisions.
The swell surge began on August 13 in the southern Indian Ocean, around 10,000 kilometers away from the Indian coast. It has been gradually moving towards the northern Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The high-energy swell is traveling at approximately 21 seconds per wave period and is expected to hit the southern tip of India early on August 19, peaking in the evening and continuing until August 20 at around 5:30 pm.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
