Abstract:
This study examines land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the Manmunai South and
Eruvil Pattu Divisional Secretariat of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2025. Utilizing satellite imagery
from Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI, the research apply unsupervised classification
techniques to analyze spatial and temporal changes in land cover. The findings clearly indicate
significant urban growth, with built-up areas expanding by over 3 km². Conversely, agricultural
land has sharply declined due to the encroachment of residential and industrial development.
Moreover, water bodies and marshlands have experienced substantial shrinkage.. However, it
is important to note that vegetation, particularly mangrove forests area, has expanded due to
successful post-tsunami restoration efforts. The accuracy assessment of the classified images
demonstrates overall accuracy rates ranging from 79% to 88%, supported by strong Kappa
statistics, which confirm the reliability of these results. This study highlights the need for
effective land management strategies to ensure that urban development is balanced with
environmental conservation in the region.
