Unusual seawater ‘churning’ sparks alarm off Gujarat

Palghar: Authorities have raised an alert following reports of unusual churning and bubbling of seawater off the Gujarat coast, triggering concern among fishermen and disaster management officials in neighbouring Palghar district. Videos recorded by fishermen show large patches of seawater roiling continuously, giving the appearance of boiling, officials said on Monday.

Palghar District Disaster Management Cell chief Vivekanand Kadam described the phenomenon as highly unusual and said it requires urgent examination by specialised marine and industrial agencies. Given the proximity of the area to busy sea routes and major fishing grounds, officials fear the disturbance could be linked to gas leaks from the seabed, underwater geological activity, or leakage from undersea pipelines.

The district administration is coordinating with maritime authorities to determine whether the event is the result of natural geological processes or a man-made industrial incident. As a precautionary measure, fishing boats and vessels have been advised to avoid the affected coordinates and exercise extreme caution while navigating nearby waters.

The government has launched an investigation, with a team from the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) deployed to study the incident. Experts are expected to conduct water sampling to check for dissolved gases such as methane, hydrogen sulphide or carbon dioxide.

Gujarat’s coastline lies along the tectonically active Arabian Sea margin, where similar events in the past have been associated with seismic shifts or seabed gas releases. The development has heightened anxiety within the fishing community, which depends heavily on these waters, as authorities work to determine the cause and assess potential risks.