Mousuni Island flooded after breach of embankment on 2 August 2008

About 400 meters stretch of embankment has collapsed on 2 August 2008 on the south-west coast of Mousuni Island (Sundarbans,India). Flooding has affected several households and almost 26 hectares of agricultural land has been inundated which may not be cultivable for next couple of crop seasons due to high salinity. This particular area of Mousuni Island is highly vulnerable due to frequent flooding and has already lost four embankments in the last two decades.

About Mousuni Island:

Mousuni is one of the twelve southernmost islands in the Indian Sundarbans region, which is highly vulnerable due to extreme climatic events like cyclone, storm and tidal surge. Total land area of this island is 24 square kilometres which supports a population of 20,000. In the recent years this island has been facing acute problem of accelerated coast line erosion as well as periodic flooding of homestead and productive agricultural lands due to breach of embankments in many parts of this island. Almost 85 percent of the land is under cultivation and periodic flooding of homestead and productive agricultural lands has a major impact on the livelihoods of the community. Consequences of climate change impacts are visible through significant changes in cropping pattern.