Goa beach-goers cautioned against Portuguese man-of-war

Team Udayavani, Jul 19, 2017, 11:19 AM IST

Panaji : A lifeguard agency here has advised the people not to venture into the sea in the Candolim-Sinquerim beach belt where it has spotted Portuguese man-of-war, a marine creature with venomous tentacles.

The lifeguards spotted a cluster of the Portuguese man-of-war,commonly known as bluebottle, washed ashore alongtheCandolim-Sinquerim beach stretch yesterday, Drishti Lifesaving agency said in a release issued here. “The jelly-like marine organisms spotted were less than an inch in size. Drishti Lifesaving has alerted the tourism department about the same,” it said.

The sea creature, having long tentacles that can deliver a painful sting, is found in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Indian and the Pacific Oceans. Its venomous tentacles can deliver a painful sting. Drishti has therefore advised the locals as well as the tourists not to venture into the waters along the Candolim-Sinquerim stretch in North Goa.

“The jellyfish are of two kinds – toxic and non-toxic. While most jellyfish stings are harmless to humans and cause only a mild irritation, species like bluebottle are venomous and can cause harm on contact,” the release said. It said that wading into the waters is not advisable during the monsoon months as the sea and weather conditions are not favourable for swimming.