Vulnerability of the Indian coastal region to damage from sea level rise

Abstract

The vulnerability of the Indian coastal region to the consequences of the estimated sea level rise due to the greenhouse effect was examined. The main observations are: (1) the region most vulnerable to inundation from an accelerated sea level rise is the Lakshadweep archipelago; (2) the east coast of India, with its lower coastal slopes and higher cyclone frequency, will suffer from increased storm surge damage; and (3) the belt between approximately equals 12° N and 18° N on the west coast appears to the least vulnerable. However, the region to the South of this belt is likely to experience increased coastal erosion