By Fahad Al Ghadani — MUSCAT: March 1 - Beachgoers, beware of harmful jellyfish that can “sting and cause severe pain” in Muscat. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has warned about the presence of such jellyfish in a number of beaches in the capital. The Marine and Fisheries Science Centre at the Directorate-General of Fisheries Research at the ministry revealed that a large number of jellyfish have been found in Qurum beach in Muscat Governorate. Although jellyfish is not harmful, there are a large number of harmful ones that can sting and cause severe pain.
“The sting can be toxic sometimes and symptoms severe,” the centre has said, while cautioning against swimming in places where such jellyfish are present. Samples of jellyfish collected by the centre have been sent to the laboratory and the beach is being monitored by the authorities concerned. Salim al Sarhani, an Omani based in Muscat, said the authorities should use social media, which has a wider reach, to warn about the harmful jellyfish on the capital’s beaches. “Signboards should be kept in such areas. Parents should not allow children to venture out on such beaches,” he said.
At present, there are no warning signboards in the area. Jellyfish are often sighted on the shores of the Sultanate. Last year, a swimmer was injured after he came in contact with a jellyfish on one of the beaches. Jellyfish rarely come to the shores because of the pollution caused by human activity. Jellyfish, especially the box jellyfish, can be highly dangerous when it comes in contact with humans.
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