Kashid beach: A tourist spot ravaged by the storm
As Cyclone Nisarga made landfall on Wednesday evening, several shacks, food stalls and other structures on the beach were destroyed, after trees fell on them
The 1.2-kilometre (km)-long Kashid beach, which lies 20km south of Alibag, was one of the worst cyclone-affected tourist spots in Raigad district.
“The width of the beach at Kashid is much smaller than the other beaches, with a number of large coconut trees aligned over the beach. During the cyclone, large coconut trees fell on the structures. The situation is much better at the other beaches in the district,” said Sagar Pathak, disaster management officer, Raigad, adding, “We, however, fear that a few beaches in Shrivardhan taluka may have witnessed even more damage than Kashid, but assessments are currently unavailable, as roads opened only on Thursday evening.”
As Cyclone Nisarga made landfall on Wednesday evening, several shacks, food stalls and other structures on the beach were destroyed, after trees fell on them.
“After the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed, all shack owners were kept away from the beach. However, now we cannot resume work even after lockdown is lifted. Such is the fury of nature,” said Sandeep Belore, a Kashid resident.
The impact of the cyclone damaged chairs, tables, kitchen utensils, beds, and other things inside the shacks. “My house and the shack I own, have both been badly damaged. My husband passed away last year. There is no network or electricity to contact my children or any relative. How am I to manage in such circumstances?” asked Sangeeta Sanjay Bhendekar, 50, another resident.
District officials said Kashid gets thousands of tourists every weekend. “It will take a few months to recover from the damages, and that is going to have serious impact on this year’s earnings,” Kashid local Rajesh Wagre said.
Pathak said that the local officers have been asked to visit the site and ensure that trees are removed and the locals maintain lockdown rules instead of unnecessarily gathering at the beach.