Panaji (GOA): With heavy showers lashing the State, the Drishti Lifesaving, the state-appointed professional lifeguard agency has issued a monsoon advisory instructing visitors not to venture into the sea for next four months of the monsoon season.

According to the MET department, the southwest monsoon has advanced over Goa since June 8 and will intensify over the next few weeks. On Monday, State witnessed heavy showers, with flooding being reported at several parts of the State.

Drishti’s 700 -strong lifeguard force man Goa’s beaches through the year. The agency has asked the visitors entering the beaches not to venture into sea from June to September. Owing to the present weather conditions, red flags have been posted across all beaches under Drishti’s surveillance indicating that these are strictly non-swim zones.

P.N. Pandey, General Manager (Operations), Drishti Lifesaving Pvt. Ltd. said “we advise visitors to the beach not to venture into the sea during the monsoon months. We have put up red flags at all the beaches which mean that the area is not meant for swimming. Even wading into the waters is not advisable.”

The Agency said that those visiting the beach should keep minimum 10 meters away from the waterline and listen to the instructions given by the lifeguards

Pandey said that the team of lifeguards present along the coast is monitoring the weather conditions.

In case of a dry spell over the next few months and depending on weather conditions, Drishti may open up a few beach stretches so that visitors can wade into the waters.

“Goa’s coastline is quite complex and requires mapping every morning. If weather conditions are favourable, we may open up the zones on some of the beaches for visitors who want to wade into the water. These zones can be identified by the red and yellow flags and will be decided on a daily basis depending on the day’s weather. However, even in such conditions, swimming is not advisable due to the presence of under-water currents and rip tides,” Pandey said.

The adults have been cautioned to keep a very close eye on children while on the beach and to not allow them to venture into the waters unattended, no matter how shallow it may be.

The Goa government shuts down the beaches for swimming and all water sports activities during the monsoon months.

The Agency said that it is not advisable to venture into the water between 12 noon and 4pm. The sea is usually very rough in the afternoon because the wind pick up is more during this time.

Team TNV