VISAKHAPATNAM: A comprehensive study by Dr Chintam Venkateswarlu of the Department of Meteorology and Oceanography at Andhra University has identified 122 high-risk days, 213 moderate-risk days and 30 low-risk days for rip current occurrence along the Visakhapatnam coast, underlining the growing need for scientific beach safety measures in the city.
The study gains significance as more than 400 drowning incidents have reportedly occurred over the years at RK Beach and Rushikonda Beach alone, two of the city’s most popular tourist destinations.
Rip currents are strong, narrow channels of water that flow rapidly from the shore towards deeper sea regions through the surf zone. Since they are often difficult to visually identify, they pose a serious threat to tourists and inexperienced swimmers. Dr Venkateswarlu’s research found that wave direction is the most important factor controlling the formation and location of rip currents along the Visakhapatnam coastline.
The study revealed that rip currents are highly likely to form at RK Beach when wave directions range between 110° and 180°, while at Rushikonda Beach they predominantly occur between 40° and 170°.
The research also showed that bathymetry, or underwater seabed topography, plays a major role in rip current generation. “Wave height and wave period mainly influence the intensity of the currents, while tidal variations have comparatively lesser impact along this coastline,” he explained.
As part of the study, extensive field investigations were conducted at RK Beach, Rushikonda, Yarada, Appikonda and Bheemili beaches. The work involved beach profiling, wave measurements, bathymetric surveys and direct rip current observations to better understand nearshore coastal dynamics.
For the first time in India, the research integrated coastal video monitoring techniques with numerical modelling to identify rip current hotspot zones and study nearshore processes. Around 800 numerical simulations were carried out for RK Beach and nearly 1,500 simulations for Rushikonda Beach under varying wave heights, wave periods, wave directions and tidal conditions.
Using these simulations, the study identified several persistent rip current hotspot zones along the coast. Researchers noted that such hotspot mapping can help authorities strategically deploy lifeguards, install warning signboards and improve public safety systems at beaches.
The research also utilised video imagery, satellite observations and field data to identify shoreline changes, sandbars, beach cusps, wave parameters and nearshore bathymetry.
Dr. Venkateswarlu completed the research under the guidance of Prof. C. V. Naidu in collaboration with scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Ahmedabad, and the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) in Thiruvananthapuram.
He successfully defended his PhD thesis titled “An Integrated Study of Nearshore Processes using Innovative Coastal Video Monitoring Techniques and Numerical Modelling” in May, 2026. He was also conferred the “Best Researcher Award” during the Andhra University centenary celebrations.
Currently, Dr Venkateswarlu is serving as Project Scientist-I at the National Institute of Ocean Technology under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, where he continues research on coastal hazards, rip current dynamics and beach safety measures.