Impact of sea level rise and shoreline changes in the tropical island ecosystem of Andaman and Nicobar region, India

We report here a four decades of shoreline changes and possible sea level rise (SLR) impact on land use/land cover (LULC) in Little Andaman Island by using remote sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. A total of six remote sensing data sets covering years between 1976 and 2018 were used to understand the shoreline changes. Moreover, a Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) was used to estimate short- and long-term shoreline changes from ArcGIS environment. Besides, the island vulnerability due to SLR was studied through using digital elevation model (DEM). As a result of Sumatra earthquake (2004), the results were showed a significant variation in shoreline upliftment and subsidence. The land subsidence was noticed in the range of 1042-3077 ha with sea level rise between 1 and 5 m. Hence, we conclude that Little Andaman Island is vulnerable to SLR and overwhelm low-elevation coastal zone.

Automated summary

The study conducted a four-decade analysis of shoreline changes and the potential impact of sea level rise on land use in Little Andaman Island using remote sensing and GIS techniques. The results showed vulnerability to sea level rise and the need for protection measures to preserve the island's coastal areas.