Kannur's beautiful beaches, including Kerala's only drive-in beach, demand safety measures

Tourists visiting Kerala's Kannur district find it hard to resist the lure of the picturesque, expansive Payyambalam and Muzhappilangad beaches. The number of travellers from other states visiting these idyllic beaches after offering prayers at the district's famous temples is on the rise. At the same time, the number of tourists who get sucked into the whirlpool of danger lurking in the sea is also increasing. The lack of state-of-the-art equipment and the shortage of lifeguards are challenges facing rescue operations at these beaches.

Whirlpools of Payyambalam
Payyambalam beach is one of the riskiest beaches in Kannur. The beach is devoid of CCTV cameras, and it’s an uphill task to track people entering the sea because the footpaths lack lighting. Moreover, the sign and warning boards are few and far between. A warning board with the message – Danger Area. Don’t take bath here’-- is the only one that is flashed in four languages.

Quite obviously, people from other states are finding it difficult to read the other signboards in the local language. Surprisingly, the beach has not been demarcated into red and green zones, and there are only six lifeguards on duty. In the past two years, five out of the six people who drowned in the sea hailed from Karnataka. A portion of the pier is in a shambles, and no steps have been taken to put in place handrails along the pier.

There should be at least two lifeguards at three duty points, but the guards are given only rudimentary training. “The government is still following an old-school training schedule. Modern equipment, such as rescue can and jet ski, should be ushered in,” says a life guard at Payyambalam beach. The fire force and rescue teams only have a system to rescue people caught in vicious waves during the daytime. Usually, the rescue operations are called off at dusk and resumed in the morning. The authorities concerned haven’t considered the long-standing request to provide searchlights for rescue operations.

Muzhappilangad – No different
The number of tourists visiting Muzhappilangad beach, which is the only drive-in beach in Kerala, is surging with each passing day. The majority of devotees from Karnataka, who visit Kannur for the famous Kottiyoor festival, take time off to visit the sought-after Muzhappilangad beach. And many take a dip in the sea, giving scant regard to the warnings given by the police and coast guard.

This can only put the visitors’ lives at risk. Although the speed limit for driving on the beach is 20km/h, many drive at 60km/h, causing tyres to get stuck in loose beach sand. Muzhappilangad beach boasts CCTV cameras and night patrols by the police, but the lack of adequate lifeguards is a dampener. Four lifeguards are doing the work of 10, and only two would be on duty each day. Moreover, there are no lifeguards at night.

The 4.5-km-long drive-in beach extends from Edakkad to Dharmadam Island. The number of travellers visiting the beach crosses one lakh during the Kottiyoor festival and lifeguards find it difficult to keep tabs on tourists. Many people pitch a tent on the beach in a bid to soak in the beauty of the sea.

Surveillance through drones is not available and the beach is not dotted with sufficient sign boards. There is no facility to provide first aid in case of a medical emergency, and swift shifting of a person in distress to the hospital won’t be possible as the road leading to the beach is narrow, says the panchayat member Rajesh.

Safety just in ribbons
If someone is swept away by strong waves off Muzhappilangad beach, home guards have to run quite a distance to initiate a rescue mission. Sea water eats into the drive-in beach in the monsoon season. Though entry to the beach is restricted when the clouds open up, these instructions are not implemented strictly. Entry to the beach at various points is restricted with ribbons tied across them. There is no effective system to stop people from entering the beach when the sea is rough. The beach stretches from Therimmal to Dharmadam Island and is fraught with danger. As many as seven people were swept away by waves in the past few years on this stretch. The estuary where the Ancharakandy River empties into the sea near the island of Dharmadam is also a danger zone. But the sad part is that there is no signboard warning the travellers of the risks.

Litany of woes
The lifeguards who put their lives at risk while saving others paint a sorry picture. They don’t have space to store their equipment, a restroom or a facility to charge their phones. Most people visiting the beach don’t heed the warning about the dangers of entering the sea during high tide. The lifeguards opine that the tourism departments of Kerala and Karnataka should work together to regulate beach crowds, especially during the Kottiyoor festival. The lifeguards in the district have high hopes for the future following the statement by Kerala Tourism Minister P C Vishnunath that more lifeguards would be deployed in the region.