Thiruvananthapuram: Sea is eating away land at Valiyathura in Thiruvananthapuram.

Satellite images over the last two decades show that the wide, expansive beach at Valiyathura has drastically shrunk and the ocean has swallowed four rows of houses. During the recent sea surge, it was the fifth row of houses which were damaged.

A similar situation prevails in other areas near Valiyathura too. Google’s satellite images from 2006 were analysed to study the impact of the sea on the beach.

The images from 2015 show the once majestic Valiyathura pier clearly. However, in 2018, the pier is in poor shape and have lost connection with the land.

A wide beach can be seen close to the houses near Valiyathura ground in the pictures from 2003. But the sandy expanse gradually shrunk over the years and the sea arrived at the doorsteps of the houses in 2012. In the past, even fishing boats were beached on this sandy area. But, at present, the sea has invaded even land for which people hold title deeds. There are families in the Valiyathura area who are paying taxes for their submerged plots of land.