Using landscape analysis to assess and model tsuna

Authors: Louis R Iverson Anantha M Prasad

Publish Date: 2006/12/08

Volume: 22, Issue: 3, Pages: 323-331

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Abstract

The nearly unprecedented loss of life resulting from the earthquake and tsunami of December 26 2004 was greatest in the province of Aceh Sumatra Indonesia We evaluated tsunami damage and built empirical vulnerability models of damage/no damage based on elevation distance from shore vegetation and exposure We found that highly predictive models are possible and that developed areas were far more likely to be damaged than forested zones Modeling exercises such as this one conducted in other vulnerable zones across the planet would enable managers to create better warning and protection defenses eg tree belts against these destructive forcesThis work was initiated while the senior author was on detail with the US Agency for International Development in the aftermath of the tsunami We are grateful to the many workers in USAID the International Programs Office of the Forest Service and other US foreign and United Nations agencies universities and corporations for their diligent and sincere efforts to save human lives and alleviate suffering The impassioned sharing of data and expertise was remarkable Special thanks to Rhonda D Stewart and Dong Chaing for their great tutoring on data and procedures while at USAID Thanks also to Mark Schwartz John Peyrebrune John Stanovich and the reviewers/editors of this journal for improvements to the manuscript

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