KENDRAPARA: The climate change warnings have come true as Agarnashi Island off Kendrapara coast, a popular nesting site for endangered Olive Ridley turtles, has completely disappeared into the sea due to coastal erosion.The 1.5-km-long and 500-metre-wide uninhabited island in the Bay of Bengal, part of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, was facing the threat of coastal erosion for the last more than two decades.
Range officer of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary Manas Das said forest officials recently found out that the island had vanished in the sea. “The Forest department had planted casuarina trees on the island to protect it from coastal erosion. The department had a camp in Agarnashi island which was consumed by the marching sea two years back. Now the island is completely gone,” Das informed.
Nasi-1, Nasi-2, Madali and Hukitola islands situated within the marine sanctuary are also facing the threat of coastal erosion. The worst affected are Nasi-1 and 2 islands which are rapidly shrinking with each passing day, Das said.The 3-km-long Nasi 1 and 2 islands are known as the world’s largest rookery of Olive Ridleys. Around half a million turtles lay eggs on these islands every year during arribada. Madali and Hukitola are also a popular breeding site of the sea turtles.
Secretary of Gahirmatha Marine Turtle and Mangrove Conservation Society Hemant Rout said, his team had cleaned the virgin beach of Agarnashi for smooth arrival of Olive Ridley turtles to lay eggs in November last year. “I was shocked to learn about the disappearance of the island altogether,” he said.
Turtle conservation will suffer if other islands in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary meet the same fate, he pointed out. A few months back, the sea had devoured the 400-year-old famous Panchubarahi temple, the last vestige in the seaside Satabhaya gram panchayat.
As per an analysis by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 2021, the port town of Paradip and its nearby areas may disappear in the Bay of Bengal by the end of 21st century. By 2100, it is estimated that Paradip will be under 0.59 metre of seawater.