VISTAS IN GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH

U.U. Spl. Publ. in Geology (12) January 2013 pp.116 - 121

Role of Wind Action on Erosion at Puri Beach of Odisha, India

P. BEHERA, D. BEURA and S. SARANGI
P.G. Department of Geology, Utkal University
Bhubaneswar-751004
Abstract: Beach erosion is considered as a major geoenvironmental issue all over the world. All most all
the coasts of the world suffer from erosion process due to various causes. The Puri coast of Odisha is
highly vulnerable to beach erosion, which has become a serious issue to the coastal settlement as well as
environment. There are a lot many reasons, both natural and local, may be regional or local, which are
responsible for beach erosion at Puri beach. The paper discusses the role of wind and wind driven waves in
triggering the beach erosion.
Keyword: Beach erosion, wind action, Puri, Odisha

INTRODUCTION
Beach erosion has become one of the major geoenvironmental issues along the Odisha coast.
During the last few years the coastal Odisha has witnessed severe erosion events at some places like Puri,
Chandrabhaga (Konark), Gopalpur, Satabhaya and Pentha (Fig-1). Puri (19 47N; 85 50 E), the famous
pilgrim town lies almost at the centre of the coastal tract of Odisha. It has wide and gentle sloping beaches of
nearly for 7 km length that attracts a large number of tourist. During the last decade the beach has undergone
continuous erosion process. Though it was not an eye catching phenomenon till 2007, but onshore damage was
not scarce. The first event of severe beach erosion was reported on 7th July 2007 in between Puri Town and
Yamuna River. On 25 September 2007, Puri observed a catastrophic erosion leading to landslide along a stretch
of 2 km on the southern side of Swaragadwar/ Light house beach. There was almost 3 meters vertical cut along
the beach side of the road (Fig-2). It has been found in a study that the erosion rates is more than 10 m/y along
the coastal stretches north of Puri, which assigns high risk rating to it (Kumar et al., 2010).
Coastal erosion is the permanent loss of sand from the beach dune system and strongly depends on the
type of coast (exposure, wave climate, surge levels, sediment composition, beach slope)(van Rijn, 2011) .
Coastal erosion is the wearing away of land and the removal of beach or dune sediments by wave action, tidal
currents, wave currents etc. Waves, generated by storms, wind, or fast moving motor craft, cause coastal
erosion, which may take the form of long-term losses of sediment and rocks, or merely the temporary
redistribution of coastal sediments; erosion in one location may result in accretion nearby (Envis News Letter).
The study of erosion and sediment redistribution is called 'coastal morphodynamics'. It may be caused by
hydraulic action, abrasion, impact and corrosion. Coastal erosion and accretion has always existed and
contributed to the shaping of the present coastline.
CAUSES OF BEACH EROSION
Coastal erosion occurs when wind, waves and long shore currents move sand and gravel from the shore
and deposits it somewhere else. The sand can be moved to another beach, to the deeper ocean bottom, into an
ocean trench or onto the landside of a dune. The removal of sand from the sand-sharing system results in
permanent changes in beach shape and structure. The impact of the event is not seen immediately as in the case

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ROLE OF WIND ACTION ON EROSION AT PURI BEACH OF ODISHA, INDIA

Fig. 1 Map showing prominent erosion areas along the Odisha coast and the study area Puri
(ICZM of Odisha Coast, PR)

Fig-2 Beach erosion at Puri in between Lighthouse and Sterling Hotel beaches in 2007
(ICZM of Odisha Coast, PR)

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of tsunami or storm surge. But it is equally important when we consider loss of property. It generally takes
months or years to note the impact of erosion; therefore, this is generally classified as a "long term coastal
hazard". Puri coast has already been affected by that long term coastal hazard and the result is reflected by beach
erosion. The following are some of the generalized causes enforcing the beach erosion.
Natural causes
The most common cause of natural beach erosion is from the action of the wind and waves. Over long
periods of time these can erode the coastline, but this process may occur faster if a significant weather event,
such as a hurricane, affects the area. It is also believed that rising sea levels may cause erosion by creating
alternative tidal patterns.
Action of Waves
Waves are generated by offshore and near shore winds, which blow over the sea surface and transfer
their energy to the water surface. As they move towards the shore, waves break and the turbulent energy
released stirs up and moves the sediments deposited on the seabed. The wave energy is a function of the wave
heights and the wave periods.
Winds
Winds acts not just as a generator of waves but also as a factor of the landwards movement of dunes
(Aeolian erosion).
Tides
Tides results in water elevation to the attraction of water masses by the moon and the sun. During high
tides, the energy of the breaking waves is released higher on the foreshore or the cliff base (cliff undercutting).
Near-shore currents
Sediments scoured from the seabed are transported away from their original location by currents. In turn
the transport of (coarse) sediments defines the boundary of coastal sediment cells, i.e. relatively self contained
system within which (coarse) sediments stay. Currents are generated by the action of tides (ebb and flood
currents), waves breaking at an oblique angle with the shore (long-shore currents), and the backwash of waves
on the foreshore (rip currents). All these currents contribute to coastal erosion processes.
Catastrophic Effects
In addition to the daily slow sculpt of the coast, other events like tsunamis which result in major coastal
changes over very short time periods. These are referred to as catastrophic events because of the extensive
damage that is caused and the unpredictable nature of the event.
Anthropogenic Causes
Anthropogenic changes are both, indirect and direct, and are responsible for beach erosion. They usually
have a local influence but occur at an intensive and faster rate, which has a prominent repercussion in the future.
Human influence, particularly urbanisation and economic activities in the coastal zone has turned coastal
erosion from a natural phenomenon into a problem of growing intensity. Anthropological effects that trigger
beach erosion are construction of artificial structures, mining of beach sand, offshore dredging, or building of
dams on rivers. Human intervention can alter these natural processes through the following actions:
Dredging of tidal entrances
Construction of harbours in near shore
Construction of groins and jetties
River water regulation works
Hardening of shorelines with seawalls or revetments
Construction of sediment-trapping upland dams
Beach nourishment
Destruction of mangroves and other natural buffers

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ROLE OF WIND FOR COASTAL EROSION

Wind as a natural agent plays an important role in the coastal zone erosion process. Wind produces
waves when blown over water surfaces. Waves of various wavelength and amplitude are responsible for various
processes at the edge of the ocean. Wind driven waves are the most important parameter that transform or
modify the beach characteristics through erosion. Wind direction, particularly long-shore winds initiate near
shore currents and thereby littoral drift. Wind velocity intensifies all its impact, and strong onshore and offshore
winds contribute to sub-aqueous sediment transport through down welling and upwelling currents. Onshore
winds also trigger aeolian sediment transport, which combined with other factors, such as sand size and coastal
vegetation lead to loss of beach sand to coastal dunes. The near shore sediment dynamics is regulated by the
sediment deposition, beach erosion and the coastal geomorphology, which are closely associated with sediment
transport. The action of waves and currents facilitate the movement of sediments onshore-offshore and along
shore as either bed load or suspended load. short-term beach changes are due to sediment movement
perpendicular to shoreline (onshore-offshore) whereas the along shore movement is important in causing major
long-term changes of the coastal zone.
METHODOLOGY
The month-wise wind direction data of the past 9 years (1999-2007) have been taken and the values are
put in a tabular format (Table-1). From the data the average wind direction has been calculated for each year and
the resultant values are plotted on respective circles. Nine such figures have been drawn representing the
average wind direction for the respective years (Fig-3). A synoptic wind direction circle is constructed showing
the pervassive wind direction, which represents the direction along which there is maximum wind impact over
the years (Fig-4). It is interpreted that the maximum impact of wind is along NNE direction.
The average wind direction has been calculated by taking the sine and cosine values of the daily wind
directions and they are summed up together for each month and thereafter the azimuth of resultant vector mean
of wind directions has been calculated by the given formula:

Table 1 Monthly mean wind direction for 9 years.

Year

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Average

1999

64o

59o

24o

27 o

29 o

38 o

45 o

43 o

22 o

83 o

309 o

84 o

14 o

2000

335 o

319 o

3o

35 o

29 o

22 o

32 o

24 o

43 o

21 o

308 o

330 o

11 o

2001

311 o

12 o

13 o

40 o

28 o

47 o

53 o

30 o

31 o

299 o

57 o

321 o

16 o

2002

342 o

335 o

26 o

38 o

34 o

38 o

39 o

40 o

34 o

329 o

69 o

342 o

21 o

2003

303 o

332 o

6o

25 o

2o

41 o

44 o

24 o

31 o

299 o

47 o

48 o

7o

2004

338 o

353 o

38 o

53 o

47 o

42 o

45 o

55 o

49 o

290 o

358 o

1o

31 o

2005

33 o

19 o

44 o

45 o

46 o

44 o

45 o

49 o

18 o

282 o

276 o

63 o

30 o

2006

307 o

44 o

36 o

39 o

33 o

37 o

52 o

54 o

20 o

35 o

278 o

334 o

27 o

2007

344 o

2o

23 o

44 o

24 o

29 o

46 o

38 o

22 o

288 o

273 o

9o

13 o

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P. BEHERA, D. BEURA AND S. SARANGI

Fig. 3 Year wise average wind direction at Puri

Fig. 4 Synoptic wind direction of past 9 years (1999-2000) at Puri

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DISCUSSION
It is observed that in the Puri coast the predominant wind direction is along the north east direction. The
averaged wind direction is almost perpendicular or making high angle to the shore line. The prolonged wind
driven waves stir up the sand and fine gravel and tend to eat away the beaches continuously. An angle between
the approaching waves and the coast line establishes a longshore current (Wasserman and Gilhousen,1976). This
longshore current transport the loosened sand inward ocean, which is known as littoral drift. As has been seen
from the synoptic wind direction data the waves at Puri coast approaches the shore line at high angle and dashes
the coast. This situation is a suitable and effective case of beach erosion. High tides and storm surges are
considered as the threshold erosive agents, which have no role with the normal wind directions. Excepting some
high average years that are producing low to parallel angle to the coastal line others make a constantly erosive
environment.
References
ENVIS News Letter, CES, Vol.26, 2011.
HOTA, R. N. (2011) Practical Approach to Petrology. CBS Publ. New Delhi. 150p.
KUMAR, T. S., MAHENDRA, R.S., NAYAK, S., K. RADHAKRISHNAN and SAHU, K.C. (2010) Coastal
Vulnerability Assessment for Orissa State, East Coast of India. Jour. Of Coastal Research, Vol. 26, N0.3,
pp. 523-534.
VAN RIJN, L.C. (2011) Coastal erosion and control. Ocean & Coastal Management 54, pp. 867-887.
WASSERMAN, S.E. and GILHOUSEN, D.B. (1976) Prediction of Meteorological Factors Related to Beach
Erosion at New Jersey and Long Island, N.Y., Jour. Appl. Meteorology, V.15, No-4, pp. 313-318.

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