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ach summer, as a blistering sun presses down upon Karachi, a collective yearning for relief draws its citizens to the shoreline. The Arabian Sea, with its promise of a cool embrace, becomes the city’s only refuge from the oppressive heat. But the sea holds a deadly secret. Beneath its shimmering surface are concealed threats: powerful rip currents that can drag a swimmer out to sea within moments, sudden seabed drop-offs that sweep visitors off their feet and crashing waves that can turn moments of joy into irreversible tragedies.
Naimatullah Sohoo, director general of the National Institute of Oceanography, says that land subsidence, sea level rise and coastal erosion are significantly altering coastal hydrodynamics, increasing the risk of drowning. “These changes are especially evident through the intensification of rip currents, altered wave action and greater tidal variability,” he says.
Deep coastal zones can enhance the formation and intensity of rip currents, which are narrow, fast-moving channels of water flowing seaward from the shore. They are one of the leading causes of drowning incidents globally and, along the Karachi coast.
Due to land subsidence, parts of beach that were previously shallow or geologically stable are now undergoing shifts in seabed elevation. “This has resulted in changing bathymetry near the beaches, producing stronger and increasingly unpredictable near-shore currents,” Sohoo says.
Waves are now breaking much closer to the shoreline than before. “Coupled with sea level rise,” he says, “…this contributes to faster inundation of low-lying coastal zones, effectively deepening the nearshore waters.”
One notable location is Paradise Point, where strong rip currents are often observed. These choppy currents have caused many deaths. “Often, beachgoers lack awareness of these conditions. Most of them do not even know how to swim, but they still end up in hazardous zones.”
Every summer, the deadly consequences of these coastal changes hit Karachi’s beaches. Data reveals a stark and recurring pattern: a vast majority of drownings occur during the summer months. According to the Edhi Welfare Trust, a majority of coastal drownings occur from March to August, with monthly figures consistent in the double digits.
A detailed look at 2024 illustrates this pattern clearly: 21 deaths in March, 19 in April, 22 in May, 24 in June, 24 in July, 17 in August, 15 in September and 13 in October. In contrast, the months at the start and end of the year saw significantly fewer tragedies: six in January, nine in February, eight in November and seven in December.
In the current year, two drownings were reported in January and March, eight in April, nine in May, ten in June, four in July, nine in August and three in September. Here again, the figures rise in the high tide months of May and August.
The tragedy is compounded by the fact that many of these deaths could have been prevented if the victims had heeded the warnings of police and the life guards. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has tasked the fire brigade to supervise the life guards.
“Throughout the year, high and low tides alternate over the 24-hour period. Each high tide typically lasts about two to three hours. It is followed by a low tide of similar duration. From April to September, the sea becomes far more turbulent than in the winter months,” says former KMC chief fire officer, Kazim Ali. “People need to be more careful when the tide recedes. It has an alarming force and can drag unsuspecting swimmers into the depths of the sea.
“Certain sections of Karachi’s beaches are particularly hazardous. Rocky stretches often conceal sharp underwater rocks, crevices and small caves that can trap swimmers. It’s important to avoid such areas during the high-tide months.”
Years of tidal action have made many of them steep, causing erosion that can quickly pull people into deeper water. “Picnickers should avoid both rocky and steep sandy beaches during high tides,” Kazim cautions.
While Karachi’s beaches are popular destinations, their safety levels vary dramatically. The following hazard zone guide ranks them from most to least dangerous:
While largely sandy, Cape Monze beach has areas of severe erosion. Avoid the sections where the sand is visibly being pulled out to sea with the receding tide, as people can be swept away with the sediment.
The main risk at Paradise Point is that of localised rip currents. Swimmers should look for calm, patrolled areas and avoid the fast-moving, choppy channels of water flowing seaward.
The Kanupp Points’ rocky shores and hidden sharp rocks pose a critical threat. Powerful waves in specific zones can slam picnickers onto these rocks, resulting in traumatic injury, loss of consciousness and eventual drowning.
Just ahead lies the French Beach, where several risky zones feature strong currents that can pull a swimmer from a calm area into deeper water or against underwater rocks. Always swim within sight of a lifeguard. Even the quieter shores of Abdur Rehman Goth contain hazardous zones during high tide.
Certain areas of Hawke’s Bay are notorious for powerful ‘dumping waves’—walls of water that crash violently in shallow surf, creating strong rip currents that have claimed many lives. Victims of these currents have been often later found as far away as Sands Pit.
The main danger at the Sands Pit beach is its sudden drop-off. It can be deceptively calm, but within a few feet, the bottom falls away. This is especially hazardous for non-swimmers and children wading in water.
While much of Turtle Beach is calm, certain stretches are known for unexpectedly strong waves and unstable, eroding sand, creating a risk of falls and injuries.
Mubarak Village and Charna Island are snorkeling hotspots, but certain channels and points are known for deceptively tricky currents that can quickly exhaust even experienced swimmers.
This description highlights the hazards present during the high tide season and is not meant to discourage visits to these beaches. Only those aware of the risks can stay safe. Experts advise that visitors check tidal information and follow lifeguards’ advice before planning a picnic to ensure an enjoyable visit.
“Since most of these beaches fall in the jurisdiction of KMC, there are 24/7 manned KMC Emergency Response Centres operational at Hawke’s Bay and Mubarak Village,” Chief Fire Officer Muhammad Humayun Khan tells The News on Sunday.
The KMC lifeguards patrol the beach, wearing orange uniforms and carrying whistles. All the Emergency Rescue Centres hoist an orange flag so the picnickers in distress can quickly approach the centre. Four watchtowers have been installed, with plans to add ten more next year. For emergencies, the centre can be reached at 0345-2075018.
According to Humayun, they are staffed by 45 trained lifeguards, including ten navy-trained divers and are equipped with patrol boats and a fully functional medical unit.
Some of the deadliest incidents occur during the hours when lifeguards are not present. According to Mohammad Azam, a senior lifeguard working at the Emergency Response Centre, Hawke’s Bay, many beachgoers arrive as early as 5 to 7 am to avoid the watchful eyes of police and lifeguards, who typically begin duty around 8 am. “It’s during these early, unguarded hours that the most serious accidents tend to happen,” he says.
Despite preparations, lifeguards frequently find themselves in situations where time is of the essence and can make a difference between life and death.
Ummid Ali, another diver, says he will never forget a rescue operation he was a part of. “The sun hadn’t fully risen when we spotted a family frantically running towards us. Three of their children had vanished into the sea. The father grabbed my arm, his voice breaking, and said ‘please do something – save my children.’”
“Several lifeguards and divers fanned out across the coastline. The sea churned and fought us. Then, one of the divers shouted. We followed his voice to a rocky outcrop. There, in the crevices between jagged rocks, we found two boys. Both were still, their limbs wedged between rocks. We had to pry them free from the rock.”
“A few hundred metres away, we spotted the third boy, unconscious and barely afloat. His arms flailed weakly. We reached him just in time. He collapsed into our arms, too shaken to speak,” says Ali.
“The mother fell to her knees, cradling the soaked clothes of a child, while reaching for the boy we had saved. We stood with them, soaked, exhausted, our hearts broken. We had managed to save only one of the three children.”
The writer is a senior The News staffer in Karachi