Man o’ war alert on atlantic coast

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BEACH-GOERS WARNED TO STAY CLEAR OF BLUE ‘JELLYFISH’ AS THEY CAN CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS FROM POISON IN TENTACLES BEACH-GOERS have been warned to stay away from dangerous blue jellyfish-like


Portuguese man o' war which have been found on many Aquitaine beaches, especially in the Landes. The regional health authority warned that one person had already been poisoned by


venomous _physalies_ tentacles on the Atlantic coast. Although looking a little like blue-ish jellyfish, the man o’ war can measure up to about 10cm but have poisonous tentacles that can


reach metres long. They should be avoided – even if washed up and dead - as the poison can cause intense stinging and lead to sickness, vertigo, breathing problems and uncontrollable


shaking. Two years ago, several Landes beaches were inundated with man o’ war and several bathers had to be taken to hospital after being stung. If stung, the health authorities recommend


using sand and a sharp-edged card to remove all traces of the tentacle, and to rinse the wound with sea water. See our previous story on jellyfish on French coasts: Jellyfish arrive in big


numbers