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Study Finds Cyclones Can Disrupt Deep Coastal Groundwater
A study looked at how storms affect water stored underground in the Sundarbans.
The researchers studied seven atmospheric depressions and four cyclones.
They found that water levels can change quickly during extreme weather.
Shallow underground water usually changes faster than deeper water.
Changes in deeper water can last longer.
Storms can also help salty seawater mix with underground freshwater, even far below the surface.
This could make drinking-water supplies less secure in coastal areas.
The researchers say groundwater should be checked at different depths and managed carefully.
A study involving researchers from IIT Kharagpur examined groundwater responses to 11 extreme weather events in the Sundarbans from May 2017 to May 2020.
The events included seven atmospheric depressions and four cyclones: Titli, Fani, Bulbul and Amphan.
Researchers found that shallow aquifers generally changed more quickly and substantially, while disturbances in deeper aquifers could last longer.
The analysis indicated that extreme weather can help saline water enter freshwater zones, including aquifers more than 100 metres underground.
The researchers recommend monitoring groundwater at multiple depths, managing extraction carefully and placing wells strategically.
- Who
- Researchers from IIT Kharagpur and SRM University, Andhra Pradesh.
- What
- A study found that cyclones and atmospheric depressions can change groundwater levels and chemistry and contribute to seawater mixing in coastal aquifers.
- Where
- The Sundarbans, part of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta.
- When
- The study examined events recorded between May 2017 and May 2020; it was published in 2026.
- Why
- To assess how extreme weather affects coastal groundwater, a key source of drinking water in vulnerable delta regions.
Key facts
- Study area
- The Sundarbans in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta
- Events examined
- Seven atmospheric depressions and four tropical cyclones
- Cyclones included
- Titli, Fani, Bulbul and Amphan
- Study period
- May 2017 to May 2020
- Deep aquifers affected
- Saline-water movement was indicated in aquifers more than 100 metres below the surface
- Publication
- Scientific Reports, 2026
- Recommended measures
- Depth-specific monitoring, careful control of extraction and strategic well placement
Sources
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