Visakhapatnam: Around 9.2 per cent of the 973.3 km-coastline in Andhra Pradesh has been facing erosion, said oceanography experts. Heavy erosion has been noticed at Uppada in East Godavari and Vizag and Bhimunipatnam beaches in Visakhapatnam district. As per reports, about 23 per cent of the shoreline along the Indian mainland is affected by erosion.

The Indian coastline is about 7,517-km long — about 5,423 km along the mainland and 2,094 km encircling the Andaman and Nicobar, and Lakshadweep islands. Oscillation of the shoreline along the Indian coast is seasonal and some of the beaches revert to their original profiles by March or April. But, unfortunately, 50 per cent of the beaches that do not regain their original shape over an annual cycle undergo erosion.

Seashore erosion in the northern regions of Chennai, Ennore, Visakhapatnam and Paradip ports is due to construction of breakwaters (structures made on coasts to protect the area where sea vessels lay their anchors from the effects of the weather) for the respective port.

According to studies, the AP coast has frequently been affected by Cyclone and inundated by storm surges. The tsunami in 2004 and various cyclones, including Phailin and Hudhud, have drastically changed the beach profiles making them vulnerable to erosion, drowning deaths due to increased slope at the coast, and significant changes in the local wave climate. Many coastal areas along the AP coast are now distorted with the changed scenario, according to studies.

Report on measures in June:

The National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai, which has been conducting studies on erosion along the city beaches, has suggested dredging operations as a short-term measure and placing offshore-submerged breakwaters as a long-term procedure.

NIOT, which interacted with the city’s port and other organisations, is developing a model to address the problem. They would submit the full-fledged report by June suggesting remedies keeping the wave climate in mind.