Geoheritage Walk highlights Mangamaripeta Beach

Vishakapatnam: As part of International Geodiversity Day, INTACH Visakhapatnam and Eastern Naval Command organised a Geoheritage Walk at Mangamaripeta Beach.

UNESCO celebrates the day to educate people about the unique geodynamic processes operating within the domain of beaches, which produce attractive features.

INTACH Visakhapatnam took up the initiative on Mangamaripeta Beach as part of INTACH’s resolve to celebrate the International Geodiversity Day throughout India.

Dr. D. Rajasekhar Reddy, Advisor Geoheritage and convener of Visakhapatnam Chapter, provided a synopsis of distinctive beaches. According to him, from Visakhapatnam in the south to Bheemunipatnam in the north, there is considerable variability in the material composition of the 25-km beach; whether with regard to beach geomorphic characteristics, coast-line angle, and other factors.

Gosthani River reaches the Bay of Bengal in the north and displays an estuarine beach system, along with associated features, such as well-developed sand dunes. The southern end, like at Ramakrishna Beach, has sandy beaches while the central portion of the beach is rocky.

The Geoheritage Walk had been taken on the rocky beach near Mangamaripeta, where there are notable promontories and related rocky beach features, including a natural bridge, stacks, sea caves, serpentine hoods, sheath structures, wave cut platforms and so on, all well exposed.

Those who participated in the Geoheritage Walk included 150 Indian Navy personnel, members of their families and INTACH members.