RAMANATHAPURAM: A day after a sea surge sent waves nearly 60m into Pudukudi, a coastal hamlet near Thondi, residents continue to reel from the shock even as fisheries officials affirmed that no boats or gear had been damaged in the incident.
On Friday, seawater rushed past the shoreline in Pudukudi, a village where most residents live just a few metres from the coast. While initial reports suggested that fishing nets and boats kept along the shore had been damaged, fisheries officials from Thondi block on Saturday clarified that there were no losses to boats or gear.
Scientists from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Mandabam, attributed the rare event to short-term weather fluctuations. They noted that similar high-tide conditions had been observed in nearby Rameswaram on the same day. Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, the fisheries department has temporarily barred fishers from venturing into the sea along the Ramanathapuram coastline. Officials said strong winds and rough seas persist and advised fisherfolk to remain alert until conditions stabilise.