Sea level during storm surges as seen in tide-gauge records along the east coast of India

Abstract

Analysis of hourly sea level recorded by tide gauges of the Survey of India (SOI) at Paradip, Vishakhapatnam, and Chennai provides a record of non-tidal sea level during three periods, 6-10 August 1979, 6-10 August 1981, and 24-27 September 1981, when storms formed over the Bay of Bengal and crossed the east coast of India. During each event, the impact was largest at Paradip and weakest at Chennai. In the first event, the sea level at Paradip was depressed, whereas there was a surge during the second and third events. The analysis shows that historical SOI tide-gauge data would be useful for testing the numerical models that are now emerging as an important component of defence from storm surges in the bay.