Previous Year Question
At one of the places in India, if you stand on the seashore and watch the sea, you will find that the sea water recedes from the shore line a few kilometres and comes back to the shore, twice a day, and you can actually walk on the sea floor when the water recedes. This unique phenomenon is seen at
Bhavnagar
Bheemunipatnam
Chandipur
Nagapattinam
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
This unique tidal phenomenon is observed at Chandipur Beach, situated in the Balasore district of Odisha.
During low tide, seawater recedes approximately 3 to 5 km from the shore.
When high tide arrives, seawater advances towards the coast again.
This tidal cycle is generally observed twice a day.
When the sea recedes, the sea floor becomes temporarily exposed and people can walk over it.
Because of this characteristic, Chandipur is often called the “Hide and Seek Beach.”
Cause of the Phenomenon
Tides are primarily associated with the gravitational attraction of the Moon and the Sun, together with the rotation of the Earth. Chandipur has an extremely gentle and shallow coastal gradient. Consequently, even a small vertical change in water level produces a horizontal retreat of seawater over several kilometres.
It is not a tsunami or a permanent change in sea level but a regular tidal phenomenon.
Examination of the Options
Bhavnagar: It is situated near the Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat, where a high tidal range occurs; however, the famous phenomenon described in the question is associated with Chandipur.
Bheemunipatnam: It is a coastal town in Andhra Pradesh.
Chandipur: It is situated in Odisha and is famous for the sea receding several kilometres.
Nagapattinam: It is situated on the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu.