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An environmental perspective of the post-tsunami scenario along the coast of Tamil Nadu, India: Role of sand dunes and forests

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title An environmental perspective of the post-tsunami scenario along the coast of Tamil Nadu, India: Role of sand dunes and forests
 
Creator Mascarenhas, A.
Jayakumar, S.
 
Subject environmental impact
hazard assessment
coastal zone
environmental legislation
 
Description An endeavor to feel the pulse of a coast devastated by a powerful oceanographic event is made. Results of field investigations along TamilNadu, India seaside revealed that the tsunami of December 2004 demolished dwellings within strips ranging from 6 to 132m (average width, 41 m) from the dune, and flooded up to 862m (average, 247 m) from the shore. The event damaged sand dunes, ripped dune vegetation, created new water bodies and shattered high value assets. Comparatively, casuarina forests performed remarkably. Uprooting of trees was exclusively restricted to a frontal strip ranging from 5 to 25m (average width, 14 m) nearest to the shore where the maximum wave run-up was 6.5m above sea level. Sand dunes in general, and casuarina forests in particular, posses an innate capacity to dissipate powerful waves. This inference is supported by (a) negligible over wash along belts characterized by high dune complexes, (b) intact villages shielded by dense forests as well as sand dunes, and (c) maximum destruction of open beach front influenced by intense human activity. In this context, the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) Notification of 1991 offers sufficient scientific validity to be endorsed. However, post-tsunami ecosystem management initiatives lack a scientific basis. Therefore, a coastal hazards policy, that considers adaptation, dune restoration and forested buffer zones, is a sustainable long-term option for Indian coasts.
 
Date 2008-08-07T11:24:06Z
2008-08-07T11:24:06Z
2008
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Journal of Environmental Management, vol.89(1); 24-34
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/1393
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [2008]. It is tried to respect the rights of the copyright holders to the best of the knowledge. If it is brought to our notice that the rights are violated then the item would be withdrawn.
 
Publisher Elsevier