Not serpents but fish

M A Phakurdeen- Addalaichanai Group Corr

The suspected cluster of serpents seen in the lagoon under the Batticaloa-Kalladi bridge which was the cynosure of local residents in Batticaloa and suburbs for the last couple of days are not actually serpents but a kind of fish which has migrated from the sea and the people need not panic or get excited, said Disaster Management Batticaloa Acting District Co-Ordinator A M Kaseer.

Explaining the situation prevailing over Kallady lagoon, Kaseer told the Daily News that it's quite natural that this kind of fish - known as eel (generally known as Vilaangumeen in the easter Tamil Language) migrate from the sea to a place where sea water and lagoon meet, for their comfort during the time of the rainy season specially in December.

It is also natural since this type of fish came out from sea just before the tsunami in 2004. People are tempted to think that again tsunami or some other natural disaster are in the offing.

He said that on the advise of Batticaloa Government Agent S Aruthainayagam a sample of fish was taken to the Faculty of Science of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka for an examination and it was confirmed by the Dean of the Faculty that this is a kind of fish known as eel and not serpent.

Kaseer added that he is in possession of an early warning mechanism to inform the public to take precautionary measures in the event of an emergency .