Usha Natesan

Risk Assessment for the Tuticorin Coast, India Usha Natesan

In the past decades, the world has experienced an escalating impact of disasters. The main causes for this increase can be attributed owing to the exerting pressures such as population explosion in the coastal areas, high frequency of extreme hydro-meteorological events, geological, biological and accidental hazards etc. which eventually increases the risk of the coastal population. Therefore, the vulnerability assessment to natural and anthropogenic hazards is a key issue in evaluating the risk along the coastal zones. A multi-hazard and inter disciplinary approach is required in assessing coastal vulnerability. A plethora of methods have been developed for assessing coastal vulnerability to environmental hazards during the past few decades. Modern remote sensing technology provides excellent opportunities to observe geodynamic processes. Remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) play a vital role in the mapping of hazard areas and integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). Several approaches of vulnerability assessment using GIS were developed in the last few years. Tuticorin coastline is threatened by numerous coastal hazards. Over exploitation of marine resources, habitat destruction, sea level rise, floods, coastal erosion, sewage and industrial effluent disposal etc. are the major threats to Gulf of Mannar, India which in turn affects the ecology and socio-economic conditions of the coast. In order to conserve these coastal resources and natural habitats, it is important to study the coastal vulnerability of natural and anthropogenic hazards along Tuticorin coast, India. The overall objective of the study is to develop a pilot system to standardize a methodology for coastal vulnerability assessment using GIS for decision support.