Kollu Sai Satya Mounika, Mokka Jagannadha Rao, Gottimukkala Sandeep
Department of Geology, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (India)Abstract
Coastal erosion has been a big problem being faced by different coasts of the world. The reasons behind it could not be understood well completely. Visakhapatnam coast in East coast of India is one such coast which is undergoing severe erosion. In this study nine profiling stations have been fixed from South to North and profile measurements were carried out for a period of one year from January to December 2019 to understand net erosion and net depositional pattern at different stations. The data obtained has been analyzed in relation to two factors namely Geomorphology and Anthropogenic reasons. The details of data analysis and interpretation are presented in this paper. It is observed that the coastal geomorphological features have some control on the beach process and at some stations the beach has been protected by the rocky coasts formed by the hill ranges running perpendicular to the coast. Similarly, the anthropogenic activity in the form of outer harbour construction deprived the sand supply from South resulting in a shadow zone in the southern part of study area causing intense erosion. The results can be used to design preventive and remedial measures for beach protection.
Key words: Coastal Erosion, Visakhapatnam Coast, Deposition, Geomorphology, Beach Profile, Anthropogenic Activities.
