Sea withdraws in Kanniyakumari, anxious moments for tourists

Kanniyakumari, Aug 4 (UNI) Tourists, who arrived here to visit the Vivekanandar rock memorial, had some anxious moments, when the boat service was stopped abruptly after the sea retrieted suddenly this morning.

Boat service to the memorial commenced as usual at 0800 hrs this morning when the first batch of 300 tourists was taken to the rock memorial.

However, when the boats were returning to take the next batch, the sea water suddenly retrieted, bringing down the water level drastically.

The authorities were taken aback as the boats ran aground. They heaved a sigh of relief after the water level rose. The boatmen were forced to return to the shore even as the authorities stopped the boat service.

After the water level rose to a safe level in the afternoon, the ''stranded tourists'' were brought back to the shore.

Ms Radhika, a tourist from France said she was lucky to visit the Memorial. She was scared while travelling in the boat as the sea was rough, but it was worth the trip, she said.

UNI XR/WS SJ RL ND1932