Palghar (Maharashtra), Sep 21 (IANS): The gigantic carcass of a 40-ft-long whale weighing over 30 tonnes, was found washed ashore from the Arabian Sea on the remote Mardes Beach in Maharashtra's Vasai on Tuesday, officials said.

The locals spotted the carcass, decomposing rapidly and letting off a strong suffocating stench in the entire vicinity.

They summoned forest officials who rushed there to ascertain the mammal's species, but they failed as the creature was already highly decomposed.

They surmised that the gigantic marine creature may have died in August and was tossed in the waves to the beach during high tide where it was found this afternoon.

"It's very difficult to remove and dispose off the huge and bulky carcass...We will try to bury it on the beach itself to prevent stray dogs from devouring it and rid the area of the reeking stench," said one official.

Meanwhile, the unusual sight attracted lots of locals trooping there to click selfies or videos featuring the massive dead marine mammal.