Why KERALA’S Beaches Are Shrinking?

Long-term heating of Earth’s surface due to human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation causes Global Warming.

It has adverse effects on the planet, which are increasing day by day, like a random forest fire, an overall increase in Earth’s average temperature, melting of glaciers which cause an increase in sea level and further leads to shrinking of beaches, coastal areas, and seashores.

We have observed this phenomenon of shrinking beaches due to rising sea levels and limited sand in Kerala.

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Government officials have estimated that nearly half of the beaches have vanished, and the other half will disappear soon, within a decade or two.

This is causing a loss in coastal properties and has created a big problem for local fishers, local people, visitors, tourists, and the government. Due to melting ice caps and glaciers, the waves are becoming irregular and unpredictable.

In December 2017, when Cyclone Ockhi hit the coast, the road that runs parallel to the beach was washed away by the waves of the cyclone. Though, no significant damage was caused.

The government is working on this issue now. Kerala Tourism recently launched a ₹1000 million project for the development of 22 beaches, including Alappuzha, Nattika, etc.

This erosion of beach can be prevented by some construction methods like the building of Groins, i.e., longwall type structures, or by building Breakwaters, barriers constructed off-shore parallel to the shoreline.

Other ways include afforestation, vegetation, and prevention of Global Warming by reducing the burning of fossil fuels.

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