Impact of Tropical Cyclone Yaas on Coastal Regions of Odisha and West Bengal, India: An Assessment Using Sentinel Datasets

Abstract

Coastal areas are increasingly susceptible to frequent cyclones driven by climate change. This leads to severe flooding, habitat loss, economic damage and community displacement, necessitating urgent adaptation measures. In this context, the present study aims to assess the impact of tropical cyclone Yaas on the coastal districts of Odisha and West Bengal combining SAR and optical satellite data. The Sentinel-1 data was used for flood inundation analysis, allowing for the identification and mapping of areas affected by the cyclonic flooding. In addition, Sentinel-2 data was employed for land use and land cover (LULC) analysis, enabling the evaluation of the cyclone's impact on various land cover classes. A fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied to analyse the changes in forest canopy cover. By integrating these diverse datasets and analyses, the study provides a holistic understanding of the cyclone's impact on the coastal region's environment and land cover. The findings reveal that the Yaas cyclonic flood affected an area of 2528.70 sq. km, accounting for 6.8% of the total region. In the coastal areas of West Bengal, more than 24% of cropland was affected particularly in the districts of Purba Medinipur, North 24 Parganas, Hoogly, Howrah and South 24 Parganas. In Odisha state, the most affected cropland areas were Bhadrak (945.11 sq. km) and Kendrapara (557.90 sq. km), while the districts of Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur, Khordha and Cuttack experienced the greatest impact on built-up areas. The findings of this comprehensive study contribute to a deeper understanding of the magnitude and extent of tropical cyclone Yaas's impacts. This study can be useful for the development of effective mitigation and adaptation strategies that is, restoration of mangrove forests, introduction of salt-tolerant crops and upgrading of existing embankments and levees to enhance the resilience of the coastal communities.