Evolution of Vulnerability to Cyclones: A Study of Storm Surge Vulnerability in the Coastal Blocks of South Twenty-four Parganas, West Bengal During 1997-2019

The coastal zones are a fragile, dynamic and productive environment, with a plethora of economic activities and a growing population. They are constantly influenced by natural and anthropogenic processes and prone to coastal hazards like sea level rise, erosion, cyclones and accompanying storm surges. The coastal zone of West Bengal is no exception, and among the most vulnerable to storm surges in India. The present study attempts to analyse the changing patterns of storm surge vulnerability during the period 1997-2019 in the coastal blocks of South Twenty-four Parganas employing the Coastal Vulnerability Index approach, employing five bio-physical and two socio- economic variables. The study finds that several blocks in the area are highly vulnerable in the study period, while others have become increasingly vulnerable to the hazard.