Hope Island (India)

Last updated

Hope Island
Satellite kkd.jpg
Satellite image of Hope Island and Kakinada coast
Geography
Location Bay of Bengal
Coordinates 16°58′38.5″N82°20′34.5″E / 16.977361°N 82.342917°E / 16.977361; 82.342917 Coordinates: 16°58′38.5″N82°20′34.5″E / 16.977361°N 82.342917°E / 16.977361; 82.342917
Adjacent to Kakinada Bay, Bay of Bengal
Area8.04 km2 (3.10 sq mi)
Length16.2 km (10.07 mi)
Administration
India
State Andhra Pradesh
District East Godavari district
Additional information
Time zone

Hope Island is a small tadpole shaped Island situated off the coast of Kakinada, India, in the Bay of Bengal.

Contents

Geography

Hope Island is located at 16°58′37″N82°20′35″E / 16.977°N 82.343°E / 16.977; 82.343 . [1]

A relatively young island, it formed in the late 18th century, from the sediment outflow carried by the waters of the Koringa River, a distributary of the Godavari. The small bay it encloses is outflow basin of the Koringa, the northernmost distributary of the Godavari. The sand bars formed have gained permanence due to successive deposition of sand and alluvial silt due to meeting of the low salinity waters of the river meeting the saline waters of the Bay of Bengal. [2]

The area between Kakinada coast and Hope Island is known as Kakinada Bay, enclosing an area of around 146 km2 (56 sq mi). Hope Island protects the city of Kakinada from the strong storm surges coming from the Bay of Bengal. Hope Island acts as natural barrier for storm surges and possible tsunami events and provides tranquility to the ships anchored in Kakinada Bay which makes Kakinada Port one of the safest natural ports in the eastern coast of India.

The northern tip of the island is called "Godavari Point", which overlooks the entry point into the Kakinada Bay and the Kakinada harbour. Indian armed forces are using this island for beaching practice very often. Indian Navy landing craft War ships are conducting exercises for Marcos and special forces.

Marine habitat

The sandy beaches of Hope island, along with the adjacent Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary are a nesting ground of the vulnerable olive ridley turtle, with 482 females laying eggs on the beaches of Hope Island in 2016. In recent years hundreds of dead turtles have also washed up on the beaches due to injuries from mechanized fishing boats operating off the Andhra coast. [3] Conservationists, wildlife and forest officials have raised concern regarding the mechanized fishing, and conducted sensitization programs and retro-fitting with "turtle excluder devices" to prevent injuries to the endangered reptiles.

Population

Hope Island houses two small hamlets of fisher folk, named Putrayya Pakalu and Sorlagondu Pakalu housing about 400 families. There are also a few government buildings. The Kakinada Port authorities have conducted dredging activities in the bay in an effort to keep port activities, which has aggravated the erosion loss of land on Hope Island. Erosion due to tidal and storm surges during the cyclone season are also issues as reported by the local fisher folk - who report that erosion has bifurcated the island into two with a 50-meter wide channel. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bay of Bengal</span> Northeastern part of the Indian Ocean

The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between Sangaman Kanda, Sri Lanka, and the north westernmost point of Sumatra, Indonesia. It is the largest water region called a bay in the world. There are countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal in South Asia and Southeast Asia. During the existence of British India, it was named as the Bay of Bengal after the historic Bengal region. At the time, the Port of Kolkata served as the gateway to the Crown rule in India. Cox's Bazar, the longest sea beach in the world and Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest and the natural habitat of the Bengal tiger, are located along the bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Godavari River</span> River in India

The Godavari is India's second longest river after the Ganga river and drains into the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, Maharashtra. It flows east for 1,465 kilometres (910 mi), draining the states of Maharashtra (48.6%), Telangana (18.8%), Andhra Pradesh (4.5%), Chhattisgarh (10.9%) and Odisha (5.7%). The river ultimately empties into the Bay of Bengal through an extensive network of tributaries. Measuring up to 312,812 km2 (120,777 sq mi), it forms one of the largest river basins in the Indian subcontinent, with only the Ganga and Indus rivers having a larger drainage basin. In terms of length, catchment area and discharge, the Godavari is the largest in peninsular India, and had been dubbed as the Dakshina Ganga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Godavari district</span> District of Andhra Pradesh in India

East Godavari is a district in the Coastal Andhra region of Andhra Pradesh, India. Its district headquarters is at Rajahmundry. As of census 2011, it became the most populous district of the state with a population of 5,151,549.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastal Andhra</span> Region of Andhra Pradesh in India

Coastal Andhra also known as Kostha Andhra is a region in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Vijayawada is the largest city in this region. It was part of Madras State before 1953 and Andhra State from 1953 to 1956. According to the 2011 census, it has an area of 91,915 square kilometres (35,489 sq mi) which is 57.99% of the total state area and a population of 34,193,868 which is 69.20% of Andhra Pradesh state population. This area includes the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh on the Circar Coast between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal, from the northern border with Odisha to Tirupati district in the South.

Kakinada is the sixth largest city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and serves as the district headquarters of the Kakinada District. It lies on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. J.N.T.U. College of Engineering Kakinada, established in 1946, is the oldest and popular Government college in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The First Polytechnic college of Andhra Pradesh, Andhra Polytechnic was established here in 1946. It was also the origin point of Buckingham Canal where goods used to be transported by boats during the British rule. It was once home for Asia's largest sea port. Many people from the city migrated from this sea port to countries like Burma, Mauritius, Fiji and various southeast Asian countries to work there as workers where they were called as Coringas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary</span> Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh, India

Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary is an estuary situated near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the third largest stretch of mangrove forests in India with 24 mangrove tree species and more than 120 bird species. It is home to the critically endangered white-backed vulture and the long billed vulture. Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that live in the coastal intertidal zone, with a dense tangle of prop roots that make the trees appear to be standing on stilts above the water. This tangle of roots allows the trees to handle the daily rise and fall of tides; hence, the mangrove forest gets flooded at least twice per day. The roots also slow the movement of tidal waters, causing sediments to settle out of the water and build up the muddy bottom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konaseema</span>

Konaseema is a group of islands between the tributaries of the Godavari River and Bay of Bengal located in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. It is nicknamed "Gods Own Creation" due to similarities with the Kerala backwaters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narasapuram</span> Town in Andhra Pradesh, India

Narasapuram, or Narsapur, is a Town in West Godavari district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and mandal headquarters of Narasapuram mandal in Narasapuram revenue division. The city is situated on the banks of the Vasista Godavari River. The lace industry is prevalent in the city and its surroundings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kakinada (rural) mandal</span> Mandal in Andhra Pradesh, India

Kakinada (rural) mandal is one of the 21 mandals in the Kakinada district of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It has its headquarters at Kakinada. The mandal is bounded by Samalkota mandal, Pedapudi mandal, Karapa mandal, Kothapalle mandal and waters of Bay of Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Andhra Pradesh</span>

Andhra Pradesh is a state in India. Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is a state government agency which promotes tourism in Andhra Pradesh, describing the state as the Koh-i-Noor of India. Andhra Pradesh has a variety of tourist attractions including beaches, hills, caves, wildlife, forests and temples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devi River</span> River in India

Devi river is one of the principal distributaries of Mahanadi. It flows through Jagatsinghpur district and Puri district across Odisha state in India and joins Bay of Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krishna Godavari Basin</span>

Krishna Godavari Basin is a peri-cratonic passive margin basin in India. It is spread across more than 50,000 square kilometres in the Krishna River and Godavari River basins in Andhra Pradesh. The site is known for the D-6 block where Reliance Industries discovered the biggest natural gas reserves in India in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uppada</span> Village in Andhra Pradesh, India

Uppada is a village in East Godavari district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Kothapalli mandal of Kakinada revenue division. Uppada Jamdani Sari is a handcrafted sari woven at the village and is also a geographical indication of Andhra Pradesh. It is popular Fishery station for Prawns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyclone Lehar</span> North Indian cyclone in 2013

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Lehar was a tropical cyclone that primarily affected the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Lehar was the second most intense tropical cyclone of the 2013 season, surpassed by Cyclone Phailin, as well as one of the two relatively strong cyclones that affected Southern India in November 2013, the other being Cyclone Helen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastline of Andhra Pradesh</span>

The coastline of Andhra Pradesh is located on the southeast coast of the Indian Peninsula, and forms a part of the Northern Circars, with waters in Bay of Bengal. It has the second longest coastline in India next to Gujarat, with a length of 975 km (606 mi). The coastal corridor consists of several ports, harbours, vast stretches of sandy beaches, wildlife, bird sanctuaries, fresh water lakes and estuaries.

Kakinada (urban) mandal is one of the 21 mandals in Kakinada district of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It has its headquarters at Kakinada city, that covers the entire mandal. The mandal is surrounded by Kakinada (rural) mandal and lies on the coast of Bay of Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone</span> Category 4 North Indian tropical cyclone in 1996

The 1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone was a small but powerful storm that left heavy damage in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It formed on 4 November in the eastern Bay of Bengal. Moving westward, it quickly organized and developed a well-defined eye. On 6 November, the cyclone struck about 50 km (30 mi) south of Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh at peak intensity. The India Meteorological Department estimated peak winds of 145 km/h (90 mph), while the American-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) assessed peak winds of 215 km/h (135 mph). Soon after landfall, the cyclone weakened and dissipated by 7 November.

The Dolphin Nature Conservation Society (DNCS) is a registered voluntary environmental non-profit and non-governmental organization (NGO) located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is committed to the causes of nature conservation, environmental protection, research, education, and awareness. The society was founded on March 5, 2001, by Dr. Mantha Rama Murty and Dr. Mangathayi, who had previously launched several nature conservation programs in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in Visakhapatnam. The organization's activities are intended to instill a love for nature and conservation among people, especially among the younger generation. Notable research, documentation, conservation, and awareness campaigns of the society have involved Olive-Ridley Sea Turtles, intertidal rocky shore fauna and flora of the Visakhapatnam coast, and butterflies of the Eastern Ghats. The society's flagship project is the development and maintenance of the Biodiversity Park in Visakhapatnam.

On 25 November 1839, the port city of Coringa in Andhra Pradesh on the southeastern coast of British India was battered by a tropical cyclone that destroyed the harbor. Known as the 1839 Coringa cyclone and sometimes also referred to as the 1839 India cyclone and 1839 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, its storm surge caused wide damage. It killed over 300,000 people, making it the second-deadliest storm worldwide after the 1970 Bhola cyclone. Many ships were destroyed and houses were washed out by rising rivers and streams. Croplands were inundated and many animals drowned due to the floods and storm surge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kakinada district</span> A district in Andhra Pradesh in India

Kakinada district is a district in the Coastal Andhra Region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. With Kakinada as its administrative headquarters, it was proposed on 26 January 2022 to become one of the resultant twenty six districts in the state after the final notification has been issued on 4 April 2022 by the government of Andhra Pradesh. The district was formed from Kakinada and Peddapuram revenue divisions from East Godavari district. Incidentally, during earlier times, the region comprising towns Pithapuram, Kakinada and Peddapuram were referred as Polnaud or Prolunadu, which now roughly corresponds to the areas in this district.

References

  1. Tripathi, N. K.; Rao, A. M. (20 March 2001). "Investigation of erosion on Hope Island using IRS-1D LISS-III data". International Journal of Remote Sensing. 22 (5): 883–888. doi:10.1080/01431160051060363. S2CID   140683251 . Retrieved 23 November 2021 via IngentaConnect.
  2. "MTN 29:9-11 A Note on the Ridleys of Hope Island (Andhra Pradesh, India)". Seaturtle.org. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  3. Sankar, K. N. Murali (11 January 2017). "Hope Island is a graveyard for Olive Ridleys". Thehindu.com. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  4. "No hope for Hope Island". The Times of India . Retrieved 23 November 2021.