NEWS – Tamil Nadu is launching the TNSHORE project (Aug 2025), deploying 8,500 artificial reefs, planting seagrass beds, and restoring marine biodiversity to protect the Kariyachalli Island.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Location: Kariyachalli Island is in the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Tamil Nadu—between Rameswaram and Thoothukudi.
• Ecological Importance: Home to one of India’s four major coral reefs; part of an ecologically sensitive marine zone.
• Crisis: Rapid erosion, rising sea levels, and reef degradation have shrunk the island’s area by over 70% since 1969.
• Current Size: Reduced from 20.85 hectares (1969) to ~3.14 hectares (high tide) and ~4.12 hectares (low tide) in 2024.
• Coral Bleaching: One-third of the coral is bleached; further damage could accelerate erosion.
• Submergence Risk: As per IIT Madras (Jan 2025), the island may vanish entirely by 2036.
• Government Action: Tamil Nadu is launching the TNSHORE project (Aug 2025), deploying 8,500 artificial reefs, planting seagrass beds, and restoring marine biodiversity to protect the island.
• Goal: Preserve the island’s ecosystem and prevent its disappearance within the next decade.