Kerala's Kasaragod coast hit hard by erosion, road washed away, hundreds at risk

Severe coastal erosion triggered by rough monsoon conditions has washed away the Cherangai-Kavungoli coastal road at Kavugoli in Mogral Puthur in Kasaragod district, Kerala. The incident has left around 200 families cut off without road access, as the sea has advanced nearly 100 metres inland at Kavugoli, completely destroying the road. Residents fear that strong waves could inundate their homes at any moment as erosion continues unabated.

Apart from Kavugoli, severe coastal erosion has been reported from Nellikunnu, Cherangai, Uduma, Pallikkara, and Musodi in Uppala. At Musodi, a house is on the verge of being swallowed by the sea. Protection measures, including geobags installed along vulnerable stretches, have been severely damaged or washed away. Several houses remain under threat while families living in high-risk areas have already been shifted to safer locations.

At Koyippady beach in Kumbla, large sections of the stone seawall have eroded, and the remaining geobag protection is also being washed away. Residents fear that if the adjoining coastal road collapses, hundreds of nearby houses will be at risk.

At Pervard beach, the geobag seawall installed two years ago has been completely destroyed, while the remaining stone seawall is also eroding. Residents allege that all seawalls constructed along the beach over the past decades have failed, accusing authorities of spending crores of rupees on ineffective coastal protection works.

Sea erosion has also intensified along other coastal stretches, including CPCRI, Thrikkannad, Valiyaparamba, Chembarikka, and Ajanur. The erosion has severely affected the beach experimental block of the ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute. The institute, which has nearly 1 km of boundary along the Arabian Sea, has lost approximately 80 metres of its compound wall to erosion. Another 30 metres of the wall remains in a precarious condition, raising concerns about further damage if erosion continues.

According to the institute, around 30 metres of land that once separated its boundary from the sea has been completely washed away due to repeated high tides and continuous erosion, bringing the sea dangerously close to its experimental farm. Officials warned that further erosion could cause extensive damage to research fields and infrastructure.

The institute has informed the District Collector, local MLA, MP, panchayat president, and the Minor Irrigation department, seeking immediate intervention to protect the experimental farm. Local residents have demanded scientifically designed and permanent coastal protection measures such as tetrapods or concrete seawalls instead of relying on conventional stone embankments to prevent recurring destruction along Kasaragod’s coastline.