Sea level changes can be of two types: (i) changes in the mean sea level and (ii) changes in the extreme sea level. The former is a global phenomenon while the
latter is a regional phenomenon. Estimates of mean sea level rise made from past tide gauge data at selected stations along the coast of India indicate a rise of
slightly less than 1 mm/year; however these estimates need to be corrected by including the rates of vertical land movements, whose measurements are not available

Analysis of multi-date satellite sensor data and maps indicated loss of 1836 ha of land during 1976–2001 along the Godavari deltaic coast resulting in displacement of coastal communities and mangrove destruction. Decrease in sediment loads from an annual average of 145.26 million tons in 1971–79 to 56.76 million tons during 1990–98, apparently due to construction of dams, largely diminished vertical accretion at the delta, while continued coastal subsidence that might have been accentuated by possible neotectonic activity and consequent relative sea level rise led to shoreline retreat.