Earth Observation Technique-Based Coastal Vulnerability Assessment of Northern Odisha, East Coast of India

Abstract

The coastal zones of northern Odisha coast, western Bay of Bengal, are highly exposed to natural forcing. These regions are vulnerable due to natural hazards such as cyclones, tsunamis, floods, shoreline/beach erosion and sea-level rise. Further, the increased intensity and density of the extreme events in the recent decades have contributed more to the coastal vulnerability, thereby causing floods and inundation. Therefore, there is a need of sustainable use of the coastal zone with proper management practices. In this context, coastal vulnerability index (CVI) has been proved as an effective method for assigning the vulnerability status to any coastal zone. The present research work aims to develop a CVI by integrating risk values of nine input variables and to segment them into low, moderate, high and very high vulnerability categories as per their degree of vulnerability. The study area exhibits a long 273.8 km coastal tract, and about 9.6% of the coastal tract is under very high vulnerability category, followed by 29.7% under high vulnerability, 46.3% under medium vulnerability and rest 14.3% under low vulnerability.