Kallakkadal/Swell Surge
Published on 05 Mar 2025
• An alert was sounded in the coastal areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu about the possibility of ‘Kallakkadal’.
• Kallakkadal or Swell Surge is a sudden rise in sea level along the coast, caused by long- distance storms or atmospheric disturbances.
• These surges originate far away from the affected area and can lead to unexpected coastal flooding and erosion, particularly in low- lying regions.
• The phenomenon is challenging to predict as it’s not directly linked to local weather conditions
• In 2012, the term was formally approved by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in 2020 launched an early warning system called the Swell Surge Forecast System.
The new system can give a 7-day advance warning.