SPIT EVOLUTION & SHORELINE CHANGES IN MANAMELKUDI, EAST COAST OF INDIA

The historical shoreline changes from 1980 to 2020 along the Manamelkudi coast is studied using toposheet, satellite time-series Landsat data, and observed data. An attempt is made to recognize possible factors which are responsible for shoreline changes and spit growth at south Manamelkudi coast (Palk Strait), Eastern part of Pudukkottai district, Tamilnadu. During 1980 - 2020, the regions showed distinct spatio-temporal variability, which is discussed in relation to spit evolution and shoreline changes. The study also generated a long-term (1980-2020) shoreline change statistics (EPR, LRR, SCE and NSM, WLR) using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) at every 150 m interval for the Manamelkudi coast covering 42 km, identified the erosion and accretion and divide the shoreline into different classes of erosion and accretion. Identified lengths of shoreline with high erosion, low erosion, stable, low accretion and high accretion are, respectively, based on LRR. The results indicate that spit evolution is predominant along the Manamelkudi coast, with the highest percentage of erosion and accretion.