Disaster Advances Vol. 16 (12) December (2023) https://doi.org/10.25303/1612da020032 20 Dynamic Changes in Coastal Geomorphology of Shiroda Coasts, using Remote Sensing and GIS: An Approach to Climate Change and Coastal Disaster Risk Sapkale J.B. 1* , Mane M.M. 1 , Susware N.K. 2 and Sapkale S.J. 3 1. Department of Geography, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, INDIA 2. Department of B.Voc., Gopal Krishna Gokhale College, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, INDIA 3.Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, INDIA *jbs_geo@unishivaji.ac.in Abstract The coastline is a unique land feature formed through the interaction between land and sea. It is essential to monitor and detect hotspots and observe spatial and temporal influences of climate change in the coastal environment. Coastal landform changes can be best studied through remote sensing data. This study examines the dynamic changes in the sand spit and associated coastal area of the Shiroda coasts of Sindhudurg district. The Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) was used to distinguish land and water and the area was calculated by reclassifying the NDWI index of all images with two classes- land surface of sand spit and water. It was found that the spit area is decreasing seasonally at a dynamic rate. Additionally, geomorphic maps were prepared for the study area and showed disastrous changes in the coastal landforms. It is a need that coastal communities worldwide must address the challenges of coastal flooding and rising sea levels caused by climate change. Climate change is causing uneven rainfall distribution, storms and cyclones, leading to coastal erosion, flooding and landform damage. Additionally, it has a negative impact on the geomorphic features of coastlines. Keywords: Climate Change, Coastal Disaster, Coastal Geomorphology, Coastal erosion, Geomorphic maps, Sandspit. Introduction In recent years, shorelines have been altered by construction and development. Due to these changes, there is now a greater need for reliable methods of including risk assessments coastal regions 24 . Besides this, repeated storms cause beach erosion and restoration efforts. Compared to a single intense storm, a cluster of storm events tends to worsen the erosion of beach and dune systems 14,57 . The higher wave energy is positively correlated with more intense sediment transport capability, producing more erosion 51 . Climate change is causing coastal erosion, flooding and damage to urban areas, negatively impacting socio- economic assets 48 . Communities located along coastlines across the globe need help in preparing for coastal flooding and rising sea levels linked to climate change 10 . Numerous scholars have contributed their research findings on a variety of topics including climate change, the impact of storms and cyclones on coastal environments, damage to coastlines, the vulnerability of coastal areas to climate change and disaster mitigation with strategic plans 25,27,32,40,49,52 . Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have allowed humans to observe changes on the Earth's surface using sensors. This technology, combined with freely available data like Landsat and Sentinel, has enormous potential in monitoring and detecting hot spots and observing spatial and temporal climatic changes. The application of geospatial technology has made it easier to determine the normalized difference between water index, moisture index and vegetation index, dramatically improving humans' ability to explore remote sensing data and obtain accurate results 3,53 . The use of remote sensing has several advantages over traditional methods for mapping land surface water (LSW). It is a cost-effective and dependable source of information that allows for frequent and consistent observations. The normalized difference water indices (NDWIs) which are calculated using various band combinations like green, near- infrared (NIR), or shortwave-infrared (SWIR), have also been shown to be effective in LSW mapping 33 . Regarding mapping water bodies, the NDWI is the most suitable tool. This is because water bodies tend to strongly absorb and reflect low radiation in the visible to infrared wavelength range 21,37,48 . Remote sensing data can provide insight into hydrological conditions using the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) which is highly sensitive to variations 54 . The coastline is a distinctive land feature created by the interaction between the sea and land. The International Geographic Information Committee (IGDC) has recognized it as one of the 27 vital land surface features 55,60 . During the fieldwork, various erosional and depositional features were observed including beaches, sandbars, sand spits, dunes, cliffs and rocky platforms. Based on these observations, it has been decided to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of geomorphological changes in coastal landscapes. The study focused on coastal landform processes and their interaction with sea waves, currents and beach materials. In