Mangroves: A Shield Against Storms and Wave Actions

Abstract

Storms and subsequent wave actions and tidal surges are common in coastal zones, bays and estuaries. Mangrove forests play a great role in the protection of coastal communities from the fury of cyclones and storms. In the coastal region, mangrove vegetation has the ability to attenuate wave which are generated by severe storms and tidal surges. SWAN model helps to determine the effect of mangrove vegetation on the wave height, which has been explained in this chapter considering dominant mangrove species of Indian Sundarbans.