Question 54 from UPSC CSE 2017 - Geography

Question

At one place in India, if you stand on the seashore and watch the sea, you will find that the sea water recedes from the shoreline a few kilometers 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

A

Bhavnagar

B

Bheemunipatnam

C

Chandipur

D

Nagapattinam

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Chandipur

Strategy: Identify the unique natural event of the sea receding for kilometers. Recall that this 'vanishing sea' phenomenon is famously associated with Chandipur beach in Odisha. Eliminate other options as they are not known for this specific tidal effect. Select Chandipur as the answer based on this direct factual match.

Key Info: ### Chandipur Beach
Chandipur is a beach in the Balasore district of Odisha, India. It is located on the shore of the Bay of Bengal and is approximately 16 kilometers from the Balasore Railway Station.

- **Unique Tidal Phenomenon:** The beach is unique in that the sea water recedes from 1 to 5 kilometers during the ebb tide (low tide), which happens twice a day. This allows people to walk on the exposed seabed. The extremely gentle slope of the continental shelf in this region contributes to this dramatic recession of the shoreline.

- **Biodiversity:** The exposed seabed during low tide reveals a rich ecosystem, including red crabs, horseshoe crabs, and small starfish.

- **Strategic Importance:** Chandipur is also the location of the Indian Army's Integrated Test Range (ITR), from where a number of missiles are tested, including Akash, Shaurya, Agni, and Prithvi ballistic missiles.

### Tides
Tides are the regular rise and fall of the Earth's waters on its coastlines, caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun, and the rotation of the Earth.

- **Tidal Range:** The vertical difference between the high tide and the succeeding low tide is called the tidal range. It varies depending on the location and the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.

- **Factors Influencing Tides:** While gravitational pull is the primary cause, the height and intensity of tides are also influenced by factors like the bathymetry (shape of the seabed) and the configuration of the coastline. Funnel-shaped bays and estuaries, like the Gulf of Khambhat, can dramatically increase the tidal range.

### Other Locations in Options
- **Bhavnagar:** Located in Gujarat on the western coast of the Gulf of Khambhat. This region experiences one of the highest tidal ranges in India due to the funneling shape of the gulf. However, the specific phenomenon of the sea receding for kilometers allowing people to walk is most famously associated with Chandipur.

- **Bheemunipatnam (Bheemili):** A coastal town in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. It is historically significant as one of the earliest Dutch settlements in India (17th century). It does not exhibit the unique tidal phenomenon described in the question.

- **Nagapattinam:** A coastal town in Tamil Nadu. It was a prominent port city for the Chola dynasty and has a long maritime history. It was severely affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It is not known for the extreme tidal recession phenomenon.

Answer

Option A: Bhavnagar

Answer

Option B: Bheemunipatnam

Answer

Option D: Nagapattinam