The National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) has opened an investigation into a build-up of Physalia — commonly known as blue bottle jellyfish — along Panadura beach, and has issued safety advice to the public after several beachgoers were stung.
The agency acted after the Panadura Municipal Council reported an increased presence of jellyfish in the coastal area. NARA officers visited the beach on Tuesday evening to identify the species and assess the risk to the public, the Daily Mirror reported.
A NARA official said there is a high probability the jellyfish have washed ashore along the full stretch of Panadura beach, rather than being confined to one section of it.
The investigation follows an incident the previous day in which several swimmers were stung while bathing at Panadura. Those affected were admitted to hospital, treated and later discharged.
Blue bottles are not true jellyfish but siphonophores — colonial organisms whose trailing tentacles carry stinging cells that stay active even after the animal is beached. The sting is painful and can, in some cases, trigger severe pain, allergic reactions and breathing difficulty. Strandings are typically driven by wind and current rather than by anything happening in the water itself, which is why they tend to arrive in large numbers over a short period.
NARA advised the public to take care when entering the sea in areas where jellyfish have been reported, and to follow instructions issued by the relevant authorities.
The advisory adds to a run of recent coastal safety concerns, including the drowning of a Dutch tourist at Nilaveli beach on Monday and the decision to put the Coast Guard in charge of a national drowning prevention committee.
Source: NARA investigates blue bottle jellyfish presence at Panadura beach — Daily Mirror, July 28.
