MUMBAI (THE STATESMAN/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, XINHUA) - Scores of blue bottle jellyfish spotted across the beaches of Mumbai city have attacked more than 100 people at the Juhu and Aksa beaches, causing panic and fear among the people.

People who were stung by the blue bottle jellyfish reported redness of the affected area and prolonged pain.

The venomous sting of the blue bottle jellyfish can kill fish but not humans. It causes itching and pain for hours.

Some shopkeepers tried to help the victims by rubbing lemon on the affected area for some immediate relief.

People have been advised to avoid beaches for some days.

Blue bottle jellyfish, also known as Portuguese man-of-war, tend to come to the shores of Mumbai in west India, for reproduction during mid-monsoons. This year, they have been spotted in large numbers, as compared to previous years.

"The jellyfish stings the person who comes into its contact. It causes physical pain and that body part becomes red. There may be deafness or that particular part becomes numb. Some vinegar and hot water should be poured on the affected part," State Commissioner for Fisheries Arun Vidhale said.

The Maharashtra state government has also cautioned people against visiting beaches where blue bottle jellyfish have been spotted.

This marine species belongs to the Physaliidae family and is commonly found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The blue bottle jellyfish is not a single animal, but a colony of four kinds of highly modified zooids that are dependent on one another for survival.