Publication: Development of inundation maps along East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia due to predicted seaquake from Manila trench on electrical assets
Date
2020-02
Authors
Afif Fitri Aziz
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Abstract
Coastal zone has high value of socioeconomic activities. The number of developments
and activities at the coastal areas of various sectors has increased day by day.Tsunami
hazard is classified as one of the most devastating natural disasters that causes
destruction along the coastal areas resulted to human fatalities. There are many causes of tsunami, but the most common is due to earthquake in the ocean. Previously
recognized as a safe zone from natural disasters of tsunami, Malaysia was confronted
by a rude awakening of the 2004 Andaman tsunami, causing a total loss of 68 lives.
However, the potential impacts of tsunamis towards Malaysia coastal areas especially
at East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia have not been explored extensively. This study,
therefore, is critical and pertinent. It aims to investigate the potential seismic activities
that generate tsunami occurrences affecting East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. This
study further simulates Manila Trench earthquake-induced tsunami at various
earthquake intensities namely Mw 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0 by using TUNA model. The
simulation model utilizes linear shallow water equation (SWE) to simulate propagation
of tsunami waves across deep ocean. Non-linear shallow water equation (NSWE)
developed from finite difference method was also used in this study, in order to obtain
run-up and inundation events at the affected coastal areas. Then inundation maps for
East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia were developed where affected major electrical
assets located within the inundation areas were demarcated and the submergence depths were established. Results obtained from this study indicated that tsunami wave
generated by Manila Trench earthquake at Mw 9.0 resulted to the highest disastrous
effects towards East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Findings from this study have
established that Kelantan will experience the highest inundation depth at 4.0 m in Pasir
Puteh with the highest inland inundation distance at 5.5 km in Bachok. Besides that,
Terengganu will experience the highest inundation depth at 6.0 m in Kuala Terengganu
with the highest inland inundation distance at 6.0 km also in Kuala Terengganu. In
Pahang, the highest inundation depth at 4.5 m with the highest inland inundation
distance at 3.3 km is anticipated to experience in Pekan. While in Johor, the highest
inundation depth at 1.2 m with the highest inland inundation distance at 0.4 km is
anticipated to experience in Mersing. On the other hand, Mw 8.0 and 7.0 earthquake
were expected to be insignificant upon arriving at the coastal areas. A total of 29 major
electrical assets located in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang were found to be
potentially submerged during inundation events of tsunami at Mw 9.0, while for Mw
8.0 and 7.0, no major electrical asset was identified to be affected. In Kelantan at Mw
9.0 tsunami, there are three (3) assets anticipated to be affected and the highest
submergence depth of 1.6 m is anticipated to experience at TMI Kandis located in
Telong, Bachok. In Terengganu at Mw 9.0 tsunami, the highest submergence depth of
4.9 m is anticipated to experience at MSS Materniti located in Batu Burok, Kuala
Terengganu. In Pahang at Mw 9.0 tsunami, two (2) major electrical assets namely MSS
KPJ Tanjung Lumpur and MSS Telekom are anticipated to experience submergence
depth of 0.1 m. While in Johor, no major electrical asset is identified to be affected by
tsunami inundation generated from Manila Trench at Mw 9.0. The demarcation of
major electrical assets provides clear indications to the owner of power provider on
which electrical assets anticipated to be affected by tsunami inundation event.
Mitigation measures and evacuation plans can be effectively planned as findings
obtained from this study are able to provide vital information on the possibilities of
tsunami waves occurrences to overcome massive losses of properties and lives.