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28.7% of Andhra Coastline Eroded, NCCR Study Reveals

Visakhapatnam: Of AP's 1,027.60-km-long coastal line, 294.89 km is experiencing erosion, accounting for 28.7 per cent of the coastline, revealed a study conducted by National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) along the Indian coast from 1990 to 2018.

The study used satellite and field-survey data to map the 6,907.18 km long shoreline of the country.
Data on sea levels indicates a continuous rise in sea levels.
District-wise details of sea erosion in Andhra Pradesh are: Nellore – coastal length 172.1 km, erosion 53.32 km; Prakasam – coastal length 107.18 km, erosion 13.72 km; Guntur – coastal length 64.24 km, erosion 7.53 km; Krishna – coastal length 133.36 km, erosion 57.55 km; West Godavari – coastal length 17.98 km, erosion 7.73 km; East Godavari – coastal length 189.84 km, erosion 89.25 km; Visakhapatnam – coastal length 136.98 km, erosion 25.81 km; Vizianagaram – coastal length 32.78 km, erosion 14.86 km; and Srikakulam – coastal length 173.12 km, erosion 25.12 km.

Andhra University’s Geology department professor A. Yugandar told Deccan Chronicle, "Climate change significantly impacts the Earth's system, including environment, ecosystems, human communities and economy. Clear indicators of climate change encompass escalating temperatures, ice and glacier melting, altering precipitation patterns, extreme weather occurrences, ocean acidification and sea-level rise (SLR)."

There has been a discernible upward trend in SLR in most cities and towns over the past three decades. Specifically, on the west coast, Mumbai, Kochi and Murmugao stations exhibited an increasing trend, while the Panambur station depicted a negative trend during this period.

Conversely, on the east coast, Haldia, Paradip, Visakhapatnam and Chennai demonstrated an upward trend in SLR, while Thoothukudi displayed a negative trend.



Historical sea-level rise is the highest in Mumbai, followed by Haldia, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Paradip and Chennai. The annual increase in sea levels is substantial in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi and Paradip.



( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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