The Lived Experience of Victims of Catastrophic Coastal Erosion

Abstract

Objectives: Environmental hazards are part of the Earth’s natural cycle and are ongoing within human history. When vulnerable situations meet environmental hazards, disasters occur where human and natural costs could be enormous. This study aimed to explore the experiences of the victims of coastal erosion during the monsoon season. Methods: Seven victims of catastrophic coastal erosion in the Kollam District of Kerala, India, were interviewed from December 2013 to February 2014. The study followed Edmond Husserl’s descriptive phenomenological method. Result: These interviews constituted the primary data source. Three main themes with eleven subthemes emerged from these data. The main themes were impact, consequences and recovery. The subthemes were living in constant fear, escaping from the catastrophe; cataclysmic sea waves and their tumultuous behaviour, instant damage and destruction, the epoch of losses; agony and suffering; homelessness-helplessness-sleeplessness mixed with fear; government aid only in dreams; haunting memories; never-ending daily needs; first home and native land; and the desire to go back to the site of the disaster. Conclusion: From the derived themes, a phenomenon associated with coastal erosion evolved. The phenomenon is termed “Catastrophic coastal erosion: A cycle of impact, consequences, and recovery”. KEYWORDS Disaster Victims; Ecological and Environmental Phenomena; Natural Disasters; Oceans and Seas; Quality of Life; Qualitative Research; Tsunamis; India.

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“…Communities around the world are experiencing a more significant impact from coastal erosion due to increasing anthropogenic influences (changes to the environment as a direct or indirect result of human activity) [1]- [7]. Shifts in global climate, such as the rise in sea level and the frequency and intensity of storms, contribute to the increased global coastal erosion rate [1]- [4], [6], [8].…”

“…Communities around the world are experiencing a more significant impact from coastal erosion due to increasing anthropogenic influences (changes to the environment as a direct or indirect result of human activity) [1]- [7]. Shifts in global climate, such as the rise in sea level and the frequency and intensity of storms, contribute to the increased global coastal erosion rate [1]- [4], [6], [8]. As 1.4 billion people worldwide live within 25 kilometers to the coastline [5], coastal flooding and erosion impact more communities each year as sea levels rise and weather patterns change [1]- [2], [4], [6], [9].…”

“…Shifts in global climate, such as the rise in sea level and the frequency and intensity of storms, contribute to the increased global coastal erosion rate [1]- [4], [6], [8]. As 1.4 billion people worldwide live within 25 kilometers to the coastline [5], coastal flooding and erosion impact more communities each year as sea levels rise and weather patterns change [1]- [2], [4], [6], [9]. However, many communities lack the resources or management plans to handle the threat that increasing coastal erosion rates bring, such as the loss of land, economic activity, and local cultural practices [1], [4], [6].…”

“…As 1.4 billion people worldwide live within 25 kilometers to the coastline [5], coastal flooding and erosion impact more communities each year as sea levels rise and weather patterns change [1]- [2], [4], [6], [9]. However, many communities lack the resources or management plans to handle the threat that increasing coastal erosion rates bring, such as the loss of land, economic activity, and local cultural practices [1], [4], [6]. Additionally, while different coastal management tactics exist to handle coastline recession, they generally involve a significant investment and high maintenance costs [2], [4]- [5], [10].…”

“…While natural environmental activities cause coastal erosion, anthropogenic activities that disrupt the coastline ecosystem have been linked to the increased rate of coastal erosion worldwide [1]- [7]. The rise in sea levels, increases in storm frequency and intensity, habitat destruction, and river control through the usage of dams all contribute to this rate increase [1]- [3], [5]- [6], [10].…”