Evolution of Quaternary Landforms Between Vedaranniyam and Rameswaram - A Case Study

Abstract

Coast is a significant place where land and sea or oceans meet that form the boundary between them. The coastal area is frequently susceptible to natural disasters like – tsunamis, cyclones, erosion, etc. and anthropogenic activities like the construction of harbor, jetties, breakwaters, and groins. These hazards are often affecting coastal zones and marine ecosystems. Usual aeolian, fluvial, tidal, and fluvial-tidal events primarily control the morpho dynamic changes along this coast. Tamil Nadu’s coastline, which makes up the south-eastern portion of the Coromendal coast, is parallel to the eastern ghat orogeny faults. The aerial photos and temporal, spatial data, with the help of Survey of India toposheets (1970) over the periods of 50 – 60 years, were used to identify different geomorphological features, strand lines (IRS 1B 1991, IRS 1C 2004, IRS P6 2004 and IRS 1D merged data (2006), erosional activities along the Vedaranyam to Rameshwaram coastal area. The present study attempts to place together all the physical evidence of whatever origin and nature, notwithstanding their contradictory directions and shift and evaluation them in the context of the evolving configuration of the coast. In Valinokam and Ramnad, red dunes are identified and aggregated between ~ 9 to 3 ka. This shows the deltaic evolution period between the late Pleistocene and Holocene and shoreline movement along the seaward side ~ [ to 65 km. This study will be helpful to government agencies like CZM authorities, Harbor development authorities etc.