Safety issue at Radha Nagar/Beach 7 at Havelock

Line

Please be aware of strong currents at Radha Nagar Beach, especially close to Barefoot at Havelock Resort!

There has been a number of accidents as people - also skilled swimmers - have been caught by sudden and extremely powerful waves. Two people drowned in October '06 and one was badly injured a month later. Though minor, there was yet another accident late November.

The locals avoid Radha Nagar/Beach no. 7 as they are fully aware of the highly potential danger. Still, there are no warning signs at the beach and no information given by the resorts whatsoever.

According to the Beach Management early December '06, the Tourist Authorities would take immediate action to employ trained lifeguards, build watchtowers and put up warning signs.
However, 'shahronakm' has responded in an other IM-thread that there were still no lifeguards present (and presumably no other security precautions) as late as medio February.

There is a very simple first-aid tent at the beach. Otherwise the island has nothing but one poorly equipped Primary health care center, ONE single doctor and one "ambulance" (which were out of use due to a long time flat tire when we were in need of it). Any injurie which needs e.g. stiching/surgery are referred to GB Panth Hospital in Port Blair, 3.5 hours by ferry + a very uncomfortable ambulanceride away.

Avoid the strech beneath Barefoot at Havelock!
It might look safe, but the currents makes sudden and extremely powerful "centrifuges" which even the best trained/most skilled swimmer has NO chanse to control if caught in one.
Keep to the main part of the beach and remain aware!

First hand experience by two who've been living in/with/by rugged ocean our entire life, so please take care folks!

Shiver me Timbers

I'm very surprised at this, I found the water there really peaceful, almost boring!!! So thanks for the heads up!

The lack of lifeguards is not surprising, despite all the hype, the Andaman's still don't get numbers of tourists on the scale of the mainland beaches, #7 is a huge beach, you can always find a stretch to yourself......

Nick-H

Mod note: I'll change the heading to 'safety' --- it expresses your post better than 'security' in this context.

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shahronakm

To be precise I was there (along with my wife) on 14 the Feb. (Evening time) & 16 th Feb. (Morning time). On either ocassions I did not see a single Life guard on the beach. Also not a single sign was visible (at least I did not see a single signboard) mentioning the danger. Yes there is a first aid tent at the tent resort but I doubt the lady sitting there is a qualified doctor. & yes she was absent during morning time.

Although we did not swim much, but the little time we were enjoying the waters we were at the main part of the beach & that to in shallow waters, so I have no idea about the currents on the Barefoot side.

Dolphin resort (Govt. owned) brought a bus load of tourists (actually a mini bus load) to Radhangar at evening time. I wonder they would have advised their guest to keep it to the main part as all of them were seen around that area. No on ventured towards the Barefoor side.

Hope the authorities take note of the same.

Ronak.

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navinkurian2002

If you swim at the beach and not deeper than 500 meters then you should be safe. Snorkeling is ok at the cove and you can see a lot of sea life. It is not at bad as the OP seems to suggest. But the sandflies can leave a permanent mark on your skin if you scratch. .Anyway what exactly happened line?

The warning is for swimmers going really deep. The currents have changed since the tsunami. I dived in December off the coast called the aquarium and there was an extremely strong current .Had to hold rocks at the bottom and pull ourselves along the sea bed.And once we came up we had to help the rope of the dungi to prevent getting pulled in. Currents were strong also at dive sites between havelock and neil island. (these sites are more than 500 meters off the coast .)

But yea when in havelock you need to be careful about your health.If you got a tooth ache there is not dentist there and the ones at port blair may pull out the wrong tooth.There is a decompression chamber at port blair but its not working.Do if you are diving you have to stay with your divemaster and dont play with depths.

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Line

Exactly! So did we, and that's what makes it so dangerous!
We were standing in water till underneath our armpits (max 20-25m. out from the beach) when we threw ourselves on top of a seemingly slow and harmless little wave to "surf" it for a few meters. Suddenly it changed to a "minitsunami" and we were sucked into and spinned around in an undiscribable inferno. Only instinctive reactions due to lifelong experience with rugged ocean saved us from drowning. Finally, we were thrown with enormous power face first into the ground. I'll leave the rest out, we were lucky to survive.

The "excuse" we were given by local authoreties (Havelock and Port Blair) was that the two mainland Indians who lost their lives, couldn't swim!
Obviously, their concern rised when a western tourist (with good swimmingskills) got badly injured. Their assurances might of course just have been a way to try and stop me from spreading the word.

After all, the tsunami caused a 50% drop in tourism and "bad marketing" is the last thing they need. I suspect their lack of following up is caused by fear that visible security measures signalises danger, hence negative marketing.


Thanks!

Line

Not so, navinkurian 2002. Please read my last posting (you came in between).

While staying at the hospital in Port Blair I received several visits from different local authorities incl. the Immigration Police. They were all familiar with, confirmed and warned about the danger at Radha Nagar, - on shallow water, where and as I've described in my previous postings.

navinkurian2002

The No7 beach was hit by the tsunami .So it figures and considering the number of earthquakes reported in Sumatra and indonesia in the recent months and days.

The locals lost a lot and there was 0 UN funding to the island. A lot of locals at No3 are my close pals and they received nothing.Also in the north andaman near mayabunder they received nothing.

Line

I'm not sure what you mean to say by this, but just to make sure and in case I've been unclear; I used the word "minitsunami" only to (try to) describe how the wave that caught us acted, - it was by no means ment as if I link or compare it to a/the tsunami.

But yes, we were informed that the strong currents at Rahda Nagar are a result of changes made by the tsunami (as it hit this part of the island).
Ironically, one of the Indians that drowned at the same spot was a geologist supposedly there to do research work on the matter.

Rahad Nagar is a beautiful spot and my purpose is not to scare anyone from going there and enjoy themselves.
However, people must know that there is a real, potential danger so that they can take precautions.
Hopefully, no more lives will be lost or affected due to lack of knowledge and/or ignorance from the local authorities.

shahronakm

It really is a beautiful beach. Very scenic & Photograhper's delight.

Ronak.