Mayor Bart Tommelein of Ostend has imposed a swimming ban on a popular beach stretch due to the formation of dangerous sand ridges.

The ban applies to the beach area between the western pier and breakwater 2, near the Kursaal in Ostend, covering about 200 meters.

The formation of these sand ridges, which act like small reefs invisible at high tide, poses a significant safety risk as they can cause people to trip or fall. "There have been problems on that stretch of beach in the past," Mayor Tommelein told Flemish public broadcaster VRT. "Swimmers have got into trouble a few times, and there have even been fatalities."

To ensure public safety, lifeguards will enforce the swimming ban and clear signage will be installed. While paddling at the water's edge is still permitted, venturing deeper than knee-high is strictly prohibited.

The duration of the ban is currently unspecified, with the possibility that swimming in this area of Ostend beach may remain permanently prohibited. Photo by Gary Houston, Wikimedia commons.