Revealing the socio-economic vulnerability and multi-hazard risks at micro-administrative units in the coastal plains of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Tamil Nadu (TN)’s South-Eastern coastal plain comprises of 5235 villages/wards, is densely populated (∼2000/km2), and is highly vulnerable to multi-hazard events. Earlier vulnerability case studies carried out in TN utilized district as a unit of analysis, considering mostly the physical parameters. For the first time, the socio-economic vulnerability at the level of micro administrative units was analyzed for the entire stretch of the coastal plains of TN using ten census and household data-based indicators. All the indicators were used to determine the degree of vulnerability and summed up to determine the hot spots of socio-economic vulnerability. Public perception surveys carried out with 406 respondents from 363 villages were used to derive the likelihood-impact risk matrix. Results show that ∼60% of the villages between the coastal stretch of Nagapattinam and Puducherry, including major parts of Cuddalore district are highly vulnerable (hot spots) to multi-hazard risks. The information retrieved at micro administrative units can be used by policymakers and coastal managers to develop effective plans for improving the resilience and preparedness of the community.

Keywords

• coastal plains
• hazard
• vulnerability
• risk
• disaster
• spatial analysis