Carcasses of 38 whales washed ashore in TN

Carcasses of 38 baleen whales were washed ashore near the Tiruchendur beach in this district early on Tuesday while more than 250 whales stranded in shallow waters were pushed back into the deep sea, officials said.

“This is an unusual thing...an unusual mortality incident, we have to find out the reason,” Marine Scientist Velumani of the Fisheries Department said on Tuesday.

Assistant Director of Tuticorin Fisheries Department Amal Xavier said the stranded whales were pushed back to the sea after several hours of hectic effort.

“There could be many reasons...navy sonars could have caused it...or pollution...the reason is not immediately known and we don’t want to speculate,” Assistant Director of Tuticorin fisheries department, Xavier said.

“We also have to study the the eco-system. The study would require the help of oceanographic experts also,” Velumani said.

They said that the whales could have come to the shore due to low tide, which was uncommon in this area.