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Small tsunami surges exist in Arabian Gulf

DUBAI — A UAE-based geologist has cautioned that the potential for small tsunami and typhoon surges does exist in the Arabian Gulf, even though it can never be as large as the Indonesian tsunami that resulted in massive deaths and destruction in December 2004.

This conclusion was based on the shallow nature of the Gulf and its relative separation from the Indian Ocean, noted Dr Benjamin R. Jordan, Professor of Geology at the UAE University.

He made the statement during his presentation, titled “Tsunami Hazards and Mitigation along the Coasts of the United Arab Emirates,” in the First International Conference on Coastal Zone Management and Engineering in the Middle East (ArabianCoast 2005).

“The most recent evidence of this occurred on February 24, 2004. A small marine surge was detected at Jumeirah Beach by the Coastal Management Section of the Dubai Municipality. During this event the sea level dropped 0.5m below the expected tidal level over 35 minutes and then surged 1.2m over five minutes as the crest of the wave hit,” he said.

Dr Jordan pointed out that one of the results of this surge was the sinking of a barge at Hamriya Port. “Although a review of seismic records for the region indicates that this surge did not result from an earthquake (it was more likely to have been meteorologically generated), the potential for an earthquake-generated tsunami does exist in the Gulf,” he noted.

The Arabian Gulf, he said, is a tectonically active region. Earthquakes with magnitude greater than four on the Richter scale have been detected along the Iranian coasts, within the eastern regions of the UAE, and beneath the Gulf itself.

Jordan emphasised on the need to develop and maintain a tsunami warning system and an earthquake monitoring programme. “After the occurrence of the 2004 Indonesian tsunami, many nations such as India and Oman began calling for and working toward putting in place an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system. Given that the UAE is a coastal nation, with the vast majority of its population and industry along its coasts, the importance of developing and maintaining a tsunami warning system here is evident. In conjunction with the tsunami warning system, an earthquake monitoring programme would also aid in detecting potential tsunami-generating events in the region,” he said.

Apart from this, there are other measures also to be taken in this regard, he said. Coastal development should be done with tsunami potential in mind, and there are some simple things that can be done along coastlines that can help reduce the damage and loss of life from a tsunami, he said.

“For example, planting rows of palm trees along the coast could help mitigate tsunami damage by absorbing some of the incoming energy of the wave as well as providing something solid for victims to grab onto so that they are not swept out to sea,” he noted. He added that mangroves have similar positive effects, with the additional benefits of providing shelter to fish and birds, which increases fishery production. Lastly, the public needs to be educated. In the past, this may have been difficult, but given the tremendous awareness raised by the 2004 Indonesian tsunami, the general public is far more likely to respond positively to the distribution of information by public signs at beaches and seafronts or in the form of printed material, Jordan concluded.

Meanwhile, 50 papers were presented on the second day of the conference.