A panic situation prevails in the Chithari coastal belt near here as the Chithari river has changed its course southwards, leading to coastal erosion in the area. The river has turned its course as sand accumulation along the estuary has sealed its course. As heaps of sand is blocking water flow, the river has altered its course over 500 metres southwards before emptying into the sea. The phenomenon has resulted in coastal erosion in the area even posing a threat to the fish-landing centre building of the Fisheries Department there. Major Irrigation Executive Engineer A. Radhakrishnan Nair had visited the spot to assess the situation and urged the Fisheries Department to take appropriate steps to tide over the phenomenon. The authorities had earlier tried to dig a channel through the accumulated sand in the estuary to allow hindrance-free flow of the river. However, the initiatives did not yield results as tidal wave activity led to the sealing of the channel. The coastal erosion has led to sand-bed caving in up to 10 ft, posing threat to the fish landing centre building. Mr. Nair said he was planning to visit the locality again on Tuesday to assess the ground situation and take steps to tide over the situation.