Amid increasing extreme weather events, a global study predicts that more than 200 km of Odisha’s coastline will face erosion by 2050. A study by researchers from seven universities revealed that the sea force is increasing due to a significant decrease in sediment flux. and the volume of water in the state’s major rivers. If this trend were to continue, scientists claimed that 45 percent of the 480 km coastline would face erosion, while 55 percent would witness an increase in the next three decades.
The study, titled “Quantitative Assessment of Current and Future Potential Threat of Coastal Erosion along Odisha Coast Using Geospatial Tools and Statistical Techniques”, identified erosion hotspots and sought remedial measures to address rapid coastal modifications.
Odisha’s coastline stretches across six coastal districts – Ganjam, Puri, Kendrapara, Balasore, Jagatsinghpur and Bhadrak. The study area has seven major rivers including Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani, Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga, Rushikulya and Bahuda which deposit a considerable volume of sediment into the Bay of Bengal.
Despite being a progradational coast, coastal Odisha is slowly turning into a hotbed of erosion. While maximum erosion was found between Pentha and Satabhaya coast in Kendrapara besides Boxipalli and Podampeta in Ganjam during 1990-2020, it will further deteriorate the areas along Chandrabhaga beach and Subarnarekha estuary, the assessment said.
Since 1990, the study found that the coastline of Boxipalli has receded by approximately 38 meters, which is expected to increase to about 57 meters. Podampetta’s coastline has moved 52.36 m since 1990 and is projected to rise 44 m more by 2050.
Along Baliapanda Beach in Puri, the shoreline has already receded by about 67 m, and is expected to intensify further. A similar erosion trend is noted along Chandrabhaga beach, where the recession was about 68 m. Pentha beach has eroded 490 m, while the Satabhaya coast has moved 210 m over the past two decades, the paper said.
The area from Chandipur to Subarnarekha in Balasore district is also more vulnerable as both the sites have already shown an erosion trend of around 40 m and 660 m. FM University Department of Geography Professor Manoranjan Mishra said if the coastal movement continues, it may lead to inundation of coastal villages in the region, forcing the population to relocate.
“Expected population growth in the coastal region and the increase in coastal infrastructure such as ports will exacerbate this trend and reduce the resilience of the coastal landscape. A long-term action plan instead of building hard structures along the coast, along with effective law enforcement and community participation, is a must to protect Odisha’s sensitive coastal region,” he added. The seven universities included two each from Brazil and Odisha and one each from Malaysia and Bangladesh.
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