TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Water-sport athletes competing in the XIX National Sports Week (PON) are at risk of getting stung by a swarm of jellyfishes that has invaded Java's northern coastline, which has caused a furore among athletes, officials, as well as the host province, West Java. "Scypozoas are abundant along the northern coast, and its' stingers are causing concern among athletes," said Indramayu's PON Head Organiser, Ahmad Bahtiar on Wednesday, September 14, 2016.
According to Bahtiar, the organisers have installed safety nets at Balongan Indah and Tirtamaya Beach to keep the jellyfish away from competing athletes. "Hopefully this will keep the athletes from harm's way," he said.
Out of the three sporting events that will be held at Balongan Indah and Tirtamaya Beach in Indramayu, open-water swimmers are at most risk of getting stung, as they will be competing in the open-waters just off the coastline - whereas those competing in the sailing and diving events are relatively safer as they will be competing away from the coastline, which is the favoured habitat of the jellyfishes.
The Head of Indramayu's Health Agency, Dedi Rohendi, admits that officials are at a loss when it comes to dealing with the jellyfish invasion. "We don't know how to handle the jellyfish invasion properly," he said, before adding that the toxic stingers are particularly dangerous, and that all the organisers could do is by keeping the jellyfish away from where the athletes will be competing.
According to Dedi, Indramayu's Health Agency has prepared officers to help cater to the athlete's needs - including 14 doctors, 28 nurses, nutritionists, sanitation experts, and 12 ambulances.
