GIS Based Approach for Vulnerability Assessment of the Karnataka Coast, India

Akshaya Beluru Jana,Arkal Vittal Hegde

doi:10.1155/2016/5642523

Akshaya Beluru Jana, Arkal Vittal Hegde

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/5642523

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Abstract

The coastal zones are highly resourceful and dynamic. In recent times, increased events of tropical cyclones and the devastating impact of the December 2004 tsunami have brought forth the importance of assessing the vulnerability of the coast to hazard-induced flooding and inundation in coastal areas. This study intends to develop coastal vulnerability index (CVI) for the administrative units, known astalukasof the Karnataka state. Seven physical and geologic risk variables characterizing the vulnerability of the coast, including rate of relative sea level change, historical shoreline change, coastal slope, coastal regional elevation, mean tidal range, and significant wave height derived using conventional and remotely sensed data, along with one socioeconomic parameter “population,” were used in the study. A total of 298 km of shoreline are ranked in the study. It was observed that about 68.65 km of the shoreline is under very high vulnerable category and 79.26 km of shoreline is under high vulnerable category. Of the remaining shoreline, 59.14 km and 91.04 km are of moderate and low vulnerable categories, respectively.

Highlights

Significant changes in environmental and physical processes have been observed in coastal areas as a result of intensive urbanization and tourism [1]
It was observed that sea level was falling at a rate of 1.3 mm per year at the Karwar station while it was rising at a rate of 0.8 mm per year at the Mangaluru station as shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), respectively
Douglas [53] acknowledged that, to determine the trends in long-term sea level changes, ideal record length greater than 60 years is desirable. Since such long duration records were not available for the present study region, the tide gauge data of Cochin (64 years) was considered to verify the trend of SLR and it was observed that sea level rise was about 1.0 mm per year

Summary

Introduction

Significant changes in environmental and physical processes have been observed in coastal areas as a result of intensive urbanization and tourism [1]. It has been estimated that human population of around 600 million would inhabit coastal flood plains by the year 2100 [2]. Coastal ecosystem is being subjected to frequent events of hazards such as storms, associated waves and storm surges, tsunamis, river flooding, shoreline erosion, and the influx of biohazards like algal blooms and pollutants [3]. Global climate change and the threat of accelerated sea level rise have aggravated the already existing high risks of storm surges, severe waves, and tsunamis [3]. The event of December 2004 tsunami brought about importance for scientific study of the natural hazards and coastal processes of the Indian coast [6]

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