Tsunami

Based on LANDSAT ETM and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data derived bu the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) of the coastal areas of Greece were investigated in order to detect traces of earlier tsunami events. Digital image processing methods used to produce hillshade, slope, minimum and maximum curvature maps based on the SRTM DEM data contribute to the detection of morphologic traces that might be related to catastrophic tsunami events. These maps combined with LANDSAT ETM and seismotectonic data in a GIS environment allow the delineation of coastal regions with potential tsunami risk. The evaluations of Landsat ETM imageries merged with digitally processed and enhanced SRTM data clearly show areas that must have been flooded in earlier times. In some cases morphologic traces of waves as curvilinear scarps open to the sea-side are clearly visible.

An exploratory study was conducted on the role of coastal ecosystems in protecting communities from the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, focusing on mangrove forests on the Andaman coast of Thailand and how well villages were undertaking environmental conservation. Remote sensing analysis identified predisaster mangrove change and postdisaster structural damage and landscape changes. Field data from five sites (20 villages), gathered via the VIEWSTM data collection system, validated and supplemented this analysis. Key informants at several of these villages were also interviewed. A preliminary comparison of villages that otherwise faced similar tsunami exposure suggests that the presence of healthy mangroves did afford substantial protection. Village performance in mangrove conservation and management efforts, and thus the presence of healthy forests, is influenced by both social capital and the design of external aid delivery programs.

Tsunami is a series of high waves which is caused by the movement of massive mass of sea water. Tsunami disaster is one of the earth's phenomenon that can not be avoided by human being. Even though, tsunami disaster still can be learned and its impact to humankind and their environment. Remote sensing technology is one of the alternative technologies to extract spatial information on tsunami disaster where it can be utilized to help the planning and reconstruction process in the tsunami impacted region. This study aims to know how far the remote sensing technology can contribute to the tsunami mitigation process. The results obtained from this study are information about destructed buildings, land use change and total coverage of land affected by tsunami in Nangroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) with Meulaboh City as a case study.

At least 160 people are missing from an Indonesian village that was pounded by an enormous wave after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra caused a local tsunami.

Source: GLIDEnumber

Initial assessments indicate that 800 people have been displaced 76 homes have been destroyed There have been 9 confirmed deaths and a further 5 people in critical condition have been flown to Nuku?alofa

Source: http://glidenumber.net/glide/public/search/details.jsp?glide=18921.

A tsunami following an earthquake in the Pacific Ocean off has caused some deaths in American Samoa , but there is no word of how many died, an official for the U.S. National Park Service said on Tuesday.

Holly Bundock, spokeswoman for the National Park Service's Pacific West Region in Oakland, California, quoted Mike Reynolds, superintendent of the National Park of American Samoa, as saying there had been some deaths.

Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/usDollarRpt/idUSN2931736820090929.
http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/News/09/09093001/index.asp.

On 9/2/2009 7:55:02 AM UTC an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 and depth 62.8km has struck an very highly populated area in the Jawa Barat Province (population: 38 million) in Indonesia. GDACS calculated a red alert, indicating 'high likelihood for international disaster'. Based on later information, the impact estimate was reduced. Tidal wave and water surface buoy measurements indicated wave heights of 40cm instead of initially estimated 2.5m. Please refer to the GDACS tsunami report for more details.

Source: Clide number