Abstract

Abstract: Coastal erosion poses a significant threat to shoreline stability, impacting ecosystems, infrastructure, and localcommunities. This project aims to analyze and quantify shoreline changes over time at Manakudy Beach and Vaniyakudi Beach byutilizing historical imagery. Historical imagery from Google Earth Pro was extracted for multiple years 2010, 2016, 2020, and 2024for Manakudy Beach and 2010, 2018, 2022, and 2025 for Vaniyakudi Beach and overlaid to visualize shoreline shifts. Distinct colorswere assigned to each year to facilitate a clear visual comparison of shoreline movement, highlighting zones of erosion (landwardshift) and accretion (seaward shift) over the selected time intervals. Polygons and markers were created to delineate these zones,ensuring the precise identification of areas experiencing land loss and land gain. For Manakudy Beach, data analysis revealedmeasurable shoreline displacement between 2010 to 2016, 2016 to 2020, and 2010 to 2024, while for Vaniyakudi Beach, significanterosion and accretion trends were observed between 2010 to 2018 and 2010 to 2025, capturing notable shoreline changes. UsingGoogle Earth Pro’s Ruler Tool, the distance of shoreline retreat and advance was accurately measured, followed by the calculationof erosion and accretion rates to quantify the magnitude of change over time. The analysis revealed that Manakudy Beachexperienced moderate shoreline change initially, followed by accelerated erosion between 2016 and 2020, and minimal accretionbetween 2010 and 2024. Conversely, Vaniyakudi Beach exhibited high erosion between 2010 and 2018, with continued erosion andminor accretion between 2010 and 2025. These findings were visually represented through bar charts to provide a comparativeassessment of shoreline dynamics for both locations, highlighting areas that demand immediate attention. The comprehensive resultsof this study offer valuable insights to coastal planners, policymakers, and environmental authorities in implementing informed andsustainable coastal protection measures.