Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 30 (IANS): After a day of the Arabian Sea suddenly and inexplicably receding from the shores of Kerala's Kozhikode, the situation returned to normal on Sunday, and authorities also ruled out the threat of a tsunami.

It was around 4 p.m. on Saturday that the sea suddenly withdrew till the horizon with no waves coming up and large area of land emerging.

People had come in large numbers to witness the phenomenon from in and around Kozhikode district.

As the crowds swelled up, the police and fire force personnel reached the spot and police put up a barricade to prevent people from venturing into the area sea, warning that the water could come back with double the vigour and that this could be dangerous.

The Indian Ocean 2004 tsunami was fresh in the minds of the people but the State Disaster Management Authority clarified that there was no tsunami warning or possibility.

An disaster management authority official told IANS that this was a phenomenon not related to tsunami and that the sea has now returned to normalcy.

On Sunday, large number of people reached Kozhikode beach only to find large number of fish in the place where the sea had withdrawn.

A.A Balu and K. Sakeer, friends and businessmen from West Hill, Kozhikode reached the beach and had a good catch of fish.

"We had come to the beach for a run but found a large quantity of fish that could be collected using bare hands and we can even share these with our neighbours. We were afraid yesterday, given the fact that the sea has withdrawn and the authorities were not coming up with a clear answer. Anyway, the sea is back and we are happy," Sakeer told IANS.