Vulnerability index and climate change: An analysis for in Cuddalore district Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu

Erratic monsoon and extreme climatic events cause considerable damages to life and property of the fishers in the country. Cuddalore District has been the worst affected of all districts in Tamil Nadu, in the recent past with the tsunami in 2004, cyclone Thane in 2011 and cyclone Neelam in 2012 creating a detrimental impact on coastal communities and their activities, particularly fishing. This in turn has affected their livelihood to a great extent. This coastal zone is largely low-lying with gentle slope, thus making it highly vulnerable to climate related changes. The vulnerability of this region to climate change and its devastating effects necessitates identifying vulnerability indices to assist in developing proactive policies by local government bodies in better disaster management. The vulnerability index of ten coastal villages of Cuddalore District was computed using Parameter, Attribute, Resilient indicator and Score (PARS) method. The study showed that the Cuddalore coast is highly vulnerable to climate change and related sea level rise. The villages of Pettodai, Reddiarpettai and Sothikuppam of Cuddalore District were identified as most vulnerable. The outcome of this study will be of use in the protection of coastal livelihoods and planning better adaptation policies and mitigation plans.