Chilika Lake is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia and second largest in the world. It is spread across an area of about 1100 sq.km. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent. The highly productive Chilika Lagoon eco-system with its rich fishery resources sustains the livelihood for many fishermen who live in and near the lagoon. Chilika is spread across Puri, Khordha and Ganjam districts. The lake is a shallow bar-built estuary with large areas of mudflats. The western (Khordha) and southern margins (Ganjam) of the lake are fringed by the Eastern Ghats hill range.  Chilika (Puri) landscape covers Krushnaprasad, Brahmagiri and Kanas blocks of Puri district and Tangi, Chilika and Banapur blocks of Khordha district. These coastal blocks are highly vulnerable to threat to cyclones, floods and tidal inundations. Cyclones ordinarily bring in their trail heavy rains causing severe floods and saline inundation.