Scientists urge Andhra Pradesh govt. to protect glacial-period coastal red sand dunes of Vizag

This site needs to be protected to study the impact of climate change as Erra Matti Dibbalu have seen both the glacial and the warm periods, they say

The city of Visakhapatnam is blessed with a number of sites that have geological importance. One among them is the coastal red sand dunes, popularly known as ‘Erra Matti Dibbalu’.

The site is located along the coast and is about 20 km north-east of Visakhapatnam city and about 4 km south-west of Bheemunipatnam.

Read | Citizens join hands to preserve the geological marvel of Erra Matti Dibbalu in Visakhapatnam

This site was declared as a geo-heritage site by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in 2014 and the Andhra Pradesh government has listed it under the category of ‘protected sites’ in 2016.

Geologists say that this site has much significance geologically, archaeologically and anthropologically and it needs to be protected for further study and evaluation.

Primarily this site needs to be protected to study the impact of climate change, as Erra Matti Dibbalu have seen both the glacial and the warm periods, said adviser to the Geo-Heritage Cell of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) and former professor of Geology, Andhra University, D. Rajasekhar Reddy.

According to him, the site is about 18,500 to 20,000 years old and it can be related to the last glacial period.