Chennai, Aug. 4 (PTI): High tidal waves were reported on Friday along Tamil Nadu's coast, but the weather office here said they were "normal" as there was no significant weather phenomenon over the Bay of Bengal.

As the waters were rough and the surging waves reached a height of seven feet, fishermen stayed away from the sea.

In the tourist town of Kanniyakumari, boat services to the Vivekananda memorial rock and the 133-foot Tiruvallavur statue were suspended yesterday morning in the wake of high tidal waves.

About 300 tourists stranded at both sites were safely brought ashore, officials said.

Officials at the MeT office said that the waves were caused by an increase in wind speed, and there was no significant weather phenomenon over the Bay of Bengal.

As wind speeds could reach 45 to 55 kmph, fishermen in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were advised not to venture out to sea, they said.