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Coastal chaos

  • 30/10/2001

Coastal chaos Global sea level has risen between 10-25 centimetres (cm) during the 20th century due to thermal expansion of the oceans, and melting of Antarctic and Arctic glaciers. The rate of sea-level rise during the 20th century was about 10 times higher than the average rate during the last 3,000 years. Global ocean heat content has also increased since the late 1950s. Sea level rise has significant socioeconomic implications for India (see box : Complex consequences).

Sea level rise will affect many regions of India, but the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the coral atolls of the Lakshadweep archipelago are most vulnerable. According to a report on the impacts of climate change on India by the Asian Development Bank (adb), the entire population of Lakshadweep is at peril.

According to the adb study, a one-metre sea level rise will displace approximately 7.1 million people in India , as about 576,400 hectares (ha) of land area is lost, along with 4,200 kilometre (km) of roads. Land loss will account for 83 per cent of all damages.

In a case study of the Orissa and West Bengal region , ipcc estimates that in the absence of protection, a one metre sea level rise will inundate an area of 170,000 ha

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