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The role of anomalous oceanic features on enhancing flooding duration in Kuttanad region, Kerala (India)

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Abstract

The present study describes the active role of met-ocean parameters on the heavy flooding that occurred during July 2018 in the Kuttanad region, Kerala. The model-derived data as well as observations showed a high anomaly of wave height in July 2018 off Kerala was not correlated with local wind anomaly and indicated possible connection of wave anomalies to swell waves. The high period and high amplitude swell waves suggest a wave setup formation near shore for flooding intensification in the Kuttanad region. The wave observation at an open ocean location (AD09) also confirms the presence of high swell waves during the same period. Anomalous elevated non-tidal sea level was evident in the tide gauge data. The narrow opening at Thottappally, is not able to discharge the outflow of the heavy flood water and it is further complicated by the wave setup at the entrance caused by long period swell waves.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Director, INCOIS, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Goverment of India for encouraging and providing all the necessary facilities for undertaking this study. Thanks are due to the Secretary, MoES. Mr Arun and Mr Jayakumar are thanked for their efforts in the installation of wave rider buoys. Ferret was used for data analysis and data visualization. This is INCOIS contribution 409.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ESSO-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India), Hyderabad, 500 090, India

    Anuradha Modi, T M Balakrishnan Nair, P G Remya, R Harikumar & K Srinivas

  2. Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, 682 506, Kerala, India

    Anuradha Modi

  3. LOCEAN-IPSL, Sorbonne Université (UPMC, Univ Paris 06)-CNRS-IRD-MNHN, Paris, France

    G Srinivas

Authors
  1. Anuradha Modi
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  2. T M Balakrishnan Nair
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  3. P G Remya
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  4. R Harikumar
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  5. K Srinivas
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  6. G Srinivas
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Contributions

Anuradha Modi has conceptualized the study, prepared data, generated figures, performed analysis and wrote the initial manuscript. T M Balakrishnan Nair conceived the study. All authors Anuradha Modi, T M Balakrishnan Nair, P G Remya, R Harikumar, K Srinivas and G Srinivas contributed to interpreting results and improved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Anuradha Modi.

Additional information

Communicated by C Gnanaseelan

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Modi, A., Nair, T.M.B., Remya, P.G. et al. The role of anomalous oceanic features on enhancing flooding duration in Kuttanad region, Kerala (India). J Earth Syst Sci 130, 111 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01599-x

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