RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: West Godavaris Perupalems beach, which attracts thousands of people every year, is turning out to be a death trap for tourists. According to police records, over 35 tourists have drowned in the beach in the last five years.As many as eight tourists drowned in 2018, four each in 2020, 2021, 2022 and three in 2023. The surge in deaths has increased concern among people and questioning the safety measures being taken up by the district authorities.
There are two prominent beaches, Perupalem and KP Palem beaches, in West Godavari. The beaches are just 75 km away from Rajamahendravaram, Tadepalligudem, Eluru, Amalapuram, 50 km away from Tanuku , 35 km away from Bhimavaram and stone throw away from Palakol, Narasapur areas.Covered with thousands of coconut tress, the beaches provide aesthetic view attracting several tourists from across the State. The entire atmosphere is certainly tempting and it is popularly called as boozers paradise.
Perupalem beach and KM Palem beach comes under Mogulturu police station limits. Recently two youth who came from Hyderabad to Palakol and went to Perupalem beach and drowned. This tragic incident created flutter among the people.
Speaking to TNIE, Mogulturu SI Veerababu said we are certainly concerned about the flurry of deaths in the last few years. “We are trying to make the tourists aware of the dangers through signboards and banners. But larger responsibility lies with the tourists. Excited visitors when they come to the beach, venture in for a swim. They do not know the condition of the sea and dangers involved and fail to realise that the undercurrents are quite different from what is visible from the shore . There are lot of changes that take place along the beach, including the formation of rip currents which cannot be seen by the naked eye,” the SI informed.
Stating that another factor that poses danger to visitors is the steep drop in depth along the beach, the SI said that in some places the depth increases as sand is deposited elsewhere making it dangerous for visitors. The best way to be safe is to stick close to the shore, SI Veerababu added.
A control room was also set up at Perupalem beach and staff was deployed. The Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Perupalem beach is visited by sea of devotees during Kartika Masam. Police patrolling is tightened during that time, however, in normal days, it is gigantic task to track the youth, the police said.
Prominent beaches in West Godavari
There are two prominent beaches, Perupalem and KP Palem beaches, in West Godavari. The beaches are just 75 km away from Rajamahendravaram, Tadepalligudem, Eluru, Amalapuram, 50 km away from Tanuku , 35 km away from Bhimavaram and stone throw away from Palakol, Narasapur areas