Tropical cyclones, one of the most extreme and destructive meteorological incidents, cause extensive damage to lives and livelihoods worldwide. This study utilized remotely sensed data along with multi-criteria decision-making, geospatial techniques, and major cyclonic events Aila, Amphan, and Yaas to identify the changes in the vulnerability of cyclone-induced floods in the 19 community development blocks of Indian Sundarbans in the years 2009–2010, 2020–2021, and 2021–2022 (the post-cyclonic timespan). The Sundarbans are a distinctive bioclimatic region located in a characteristic geographical setting along the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts. In this area, several cyclonic storms had an impact between 2009 and 2022. Using the variables NDVI, MNDWI, NDMI, NDBI, BSI, and NDTI, Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager, Thermal Infrared Sensor, Resourcesat LISS-III, and AWiFS data were primarily utilized to map the cyclonic flood-effective zones in the research area. The findings indicated that the coastline, which was most impacted by tropical storms, has significant physical susceptibility to floods, as determined by the AHP-weighted overlay analysis. Significant positive relationships (p < 0.05, n = 19 administrative units) were observed between mangrove damage, NDFI, and physical flood susceptibility indicators. Mangrove damage increased with an increase in the flood index, and vice versa. To mitigate the consequences and impacts of the vulnerability of cyclonic events, subsequent flood occurrences, and mangrove damage in the Sundarbans, a ground-level implementation of disaster management plans proposed by the associated state government, integrated measures of cyclone forecasting, mangrove plantation, coastal conservation, flood preparedness, mitigation, and management by the Sundarban Development Board are appreciably recommended.

The flood hazard risks and vulnerability in the urban areas alongside major rivers of India have been gradually increasing due to extreme climatic events. The present study is intended to assess flood hazard vulnerability and potential risk areas and aims to ascertain the management strategies in Nabadwip Municipality, a statutory urban area of West Bengal. The multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) of selected criteria and geospatial techniques have been employed to determine the urban flood vulnerability in the study area. The study has been conducted using secondary datasets including relevant remotely sensed data and participant observation. The potential flood-affected zones have been determined using the normalized difference flood index (NDFI) and flood vulnerability index (FVI). The analysis of the standardized precipitation index (SPI) of 20 years of monthly precipitation shows the variability of seasonal rainfall distribution in the study area. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of the composite Ibrahim index of socio-economic development accents that the urban development of the study area was uneven. The municipal wards situated in the central and northeastern portions of Nabadwip Municipality were extremely vulnerable, whereas the western and southwestern wards were less vulnerable. It is also revealed from the strengths–weaknesses–opportunities–challenges (SWOC) of the principal management strategies of the flood situation analysis that the unplanned sewerage system is one of the most effective weaknesses in the area. All-embracing and integrative flood management strategies need to be implemented in the study area considering the intra-regional vulnerability and development for the resilient and sustainable development of the study area.

The present study focuses on the identification of the intensity and susceptibility of gully erosion and induced soil erosion in the selected areas of Birbhum district of West Bengal, India. The geospatial techniques have been employed using the meticulous remotely sensed satellite data of Birbhum district. The composite gully erosion susceptibility maps have been prepared based on the aggregation of the normalized values of each indicator using factor analysis of the year 2001. It reveals from the maps that Rampurhat-I and Bolpur-Santiniketan blocks of Birbhum district have faced an excessive loss of lateritic soil cover mostly by the gully erosion during the monsoon season concerning the relationship between soil erosivity and other factors. About 23.45 percent and 20.59 percent area of the total area under Rampurhat-I and Bolpur-Santiniketan blocks are under gully erosion susceptibility zones. The LULC and landholding sizes are despoiled with an increasing rate of soil erosion in the gully areas during the study period. The identification of gully erosion hot spot areas, intensity mapping, and accurate prediction will help to formulate highly insightful, well-developed strategies for adaptation of imperative planning to rectify the soil loss, and soil degradation and assist in eco-efficient agriculture and improves the agri-environmental conditions.