KARACHI, July 13: As many as 2,000 picnickers were stung by bluebottles on Sunday at different city beaches including Hawkesbay, Paradise Point, Sandspit, Clifton and others.

Besides, the police and the fire brigade staff had closed three most dangerous beaches — Cape Mountz, Neelam Point and Sonera — to picnickers on the public holiday in view of frequent incidents of drowning.

People usually throng to beaches on the public holiday on Sunday to beat the humid and hot weather. They are all too eager to jump into sea without fearing for their lives.

“A number of bluebottles have appeared, and due to a crowd on the beaches many people have been stung by them on Sunday”, chief fire officer of the fire brigade department, Kazim Ali, told Dawn on Sunday.

He said that 800 people were taken to the Emergency Response Centre of the fire brigade department at Hawkesbay where they were given with first aid. Besides, he said, almost 700 others were given treatment on spot at different beaches.

He said that 500 bluebottle bites were reported at the Clifton beach where the victims were treated accordingly. No serious case was reported that could be sent to a hospital in emergency, he added.

The city’s administration took precautionary measures on Sunday to safeguard picnickers on beaches in view of many drowning incidents. In July alone, 10 people were drowned, and since January some 18 people lost their lives by drowning at different beaches. The Karli lake tragedy too claimed 26 lives including women and children.

“The sea is extremely rough as high tides develop in this season and some beaches are supposed to be very dangerous. Taking precautionary measures, we have asked police to help us close the dangerous beaches — Cape Mountz, Neelam Point and Sonera”, Mr Kazim Ali said. Police acted upon the request and deployed the policemen to stop people approaching the dangerous beaches, he added.

Town police officer Kemari, Athar Rasheed Butt, said: “We have deployed some 55 policemen at some points on the beaches. We have closed the way leading to Neelam Point, Cape Mountz and Sonera.”

Mr Kazim Ali said the fire brigade department had fixed some loudspeakers at different points from where announcements were made continuously throughout the day warning people not to go into sea.

“Our 46 life guards who are trained divers remained available to meet any eventuality. Besides, seven divers from Civil Defence also joined us on the public holiday”, he added.

Only one incident took place at Paradise Point where a youth was swept away by the violent currents.

Mr Kazim said a camp was also pitched at the Clifton beach to monitor the situation and promptly act in any emergency.

Rizwan Edhi said: “We have sent 12 ambulances to different beaches including Clifton, Paradise Point, Sandspit and others to meet any emergency.”