Physical forcing of cyclonic phenomenon on water quality often exerts stress on marine and estuarine ecosystems due to their unpredictability. The post-cyclonic changes in phytoplankton biomass have been reported in the Bay of Bengal. In addition, cyclones also intensify physical processes resulting in entrainment of nutrient-rich water from deeper depths into surface leading to regional phytoplankton blooms.
The very severe cyclonic storm Phailin, a category-5 hurricane, was developed over the north of Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 9 October 2013. Subsequently, it propagated towards north-northwest and made landfall at the Gopalpur coast, Odisha on 12 October. Chilika lagoon, the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia, is in close proximity to Gopalpur.
Chilika lagoon is situated on the east coast of India and is spread over three districts of Odisha, namely Puri, Khordha and Ganjam. It is a hotspot for biodiversity, and the largest wintering ground for migratory avian guests on the Indian sub-continent. This note describes oil pollution from mechanized vessels observed during regular field surveys.
