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3
rd
International Workshop on Remote Sensing for Post-Disaster Response
September 12-13, 2005, Chiba, J apan
Remote sensing technology for Tsunami Disasters Along the Andaman
Sea, Thailand
Supapis POLNGAM
Thanakorn Sanguantrakool, Ekkarat Pricharchon, Surassawadee Phoompanich
Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Public Organization)
196 Phahonyothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Telephone : (662) 940 6420-9 Fax : (662) 561-3035, 562-0429, 579-5618
Email: supapis@gistda.or.th,
thanakorn@gistda.or.th, ekkarat@gistda.or.th
ABSTRACT
December 2004 Tsunami disaster is natural disasters which is caused by
purely natural phenomena and bring damage in huge scale to 6 provinces
along the Andaman Sea, southern of Thailand namely Ranong, Phang-
nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, and Satun. The information gathering and
applying geo-informatics technology have been used in phases of
mitigation and recovery. Such an affected area interpolation can be
executed successfully in multi-spatial, multi-temporal and multi-spectral
characteristics. An affected and damage area as obtained from the
interpolation of high resolution IKONOS and QuickBird are the main
information sources. We found that main types of damage are coastal
shoreline erosion and damage to constructions such as buildings, road
network, bridges, shorelines, acquacultural cages, fishing vessels, and
the environment as well.
Key words : Tsunami, Geo-informatics data
1. Introduction
The 9.0 magnitude Sumatra Andaman megathrust earthquake spawned a gigantic
seismic waves or Tsunami in the Indian ocean at the end of December 2004 focused
world attention once more on the large scale coastal flooding in various countries namely
Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Thailand, etc. In Thailand, the
affected area by tsunami was covering in southern part, six provinces including Ranong,
Phang-nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun, In Thailand alone, 5,393 people were killed,
8,457 injured and 3,062 missing, approximately 58,000 people or 12,000 households
affected, 4,800 houses destroyed wholly or partially, 5000 fishing villages affected, 6,000
fish vessels destroyed. The environment has also greatly affected, marine and coastal
parks were damaged, some coral reefs were also destroyed. In addition, coastal flood
plain which is mostly narrow, caused damage to buildings, road networks, bridges, bay or
inlets, coastline, etc. Moreover, an electricity supply and telephone lines were disrupted
for a couple of days.
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Currently, earth observation satellite data play a major role in quickly assessing
the damage caused by both natural and man made disasters like flood, landslide forest
fire, earthquake and even tsunami. As for tsunami disaster monitoring, satellite data are
very useful particularly in developing country as Thailand for base mapping, for
emergency relief logistics, estimate of settlement and structure vulnerability, an affected
area and damage mapping.
Immdiately after the disaster, the Thai government, in close cooperation with
international communities, moved in quickly to provide relief and rehabilitation to the
disaster victims and the affected areas. With all these efforts, some of the affected areas
have begun to recover and the Government has been working tirelessly on longer term
measures to help bring sustainable livelihoods to local communities and to help local
business to recover fully as well. As for emergency preparedness, Thailands National
Disaster Warning Center was set up. The Center with give early warning to not only
Tsunami disaster, but also to other types of disaster. The Center is linked to earthquake
centers in J apan and Hawaii as well as to relevant Thai government agencies.
2. Satellite data for tsunami studies
Satellite data can be utilized in three phases of operation. They are mitigation
phase, response phase and recovery phase. Tsunami disaster mitigation involves in risk
reduction. Then, satellite data integrated with a geographic information system can be
based and exposed as input to planning logistic for response scenarios, planning
evacuation routes and public education program. Satellite data requirements are in multi-
spatial, multi - temporal and multi - spectral characteristics.
Data from various satellite like TERRA and AQUA operating in low resolution
with 250 500 meters, medium resolution of LANDSAT, IRS, SPOT-5 and
RADARSAT and high resolution with 1 meters and 61 centimeters of IKONOS and
QuickBird respectively of pre and post tsunami period were applied to monitor the
damage. Usually, TERRA and AQUA MODIS scene used to identified the regional
level phenomenous and a comparison of TERRA and AQUA MODIS operating in
different period of tsunami event was indicated in Figure 1. Active tsunami wave shown
as white color along Phangnga coastline (middle image) and coastal flooding are totally
occurred and presented as sediment deposits in white cyan color along the Andaman
coastline from Ranong, Phang-nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun provinces. High
resolution data of IKONOS and QuickBird are suitable for pinpointing location, type of
damage, the degree of damage and affected area as well. After identifying affected area
from those data, a field investigation was carried out. Types of damage can be illustraed
in Table 1 and displayed as summarized below.
2.1 Coastal shoreline erosion
Damage caused by tsunami is mostly severe at shoreline where boats,
harbors, road networks, buildings, and utilities were destroyed. Besides, aquatic life,
plants, animal and human in the near shore environment may also be devastated. Multi
date satellite data are found to be very useful to monitor a coastal shoreline changes
(Figure 2 4). Figure 2 shows an affected area (red boundary) of IKONOS image of
Patong beach, Phuket province. We found that the wave could reach in land area
approximately 480 meters from the shoreline. Sand beach and beach erosion at lower part
of Patong beach was enlarged and displayed the erosion as yellow vector in Figure 3.
Also, river damage and sand bank damage, large run off and strong waves caused
erosion of river and beach bank at Kammala beach, Phuket province (Figure 4).
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2.2 Damage to constructions
All constructions including buildings, road networks, bridges, aqua-cultural
farms and ships were completely washed away by the Tsunami wave in many places such
as Phang-nga coastal, West coast of Phuket island, Ranong, and Krabi province. At Tri
Trang beach, Phuket province, where the wave washed the buildings, roads swimming
pools, beaches and shrub forest away and damaged by huge sand and woods transported
by wave (Figure 5) and Figure 6 shows severe Tsunami damage and many ships were
dragged 600 - 700 meters from the coast at Ban Nam Khem, Phang-nga province. Detail
of perspective IKONOS image is essential for reliable landscape of general affected area
and effective in visualizing the affected area. From these images can make us more
understand how the waves spread over the coastal flood plain. Phang-nga coastal plain is
a shoreline of submergence, most of coastal is mostly narrow, flanked by steep slopes.
The shoreline is usually quite irregular with many bays and inlets. Various of tin placer
deposits are generally found on alluvium plains which originated from alluvium
transported from eroded granite mountains and in shallow coastal sea and also, human
settlement are possible and popular on those shorelines (Figure 7). Beach bank erosion
and buildings submerged by the wave (water) and bridge and roads were washed away of
South Sea Coral and Spa Resort, Phangnga province showing by IKONOS images
(Figure 8). Figure 9 displayed an affected area by Tsunami with yellow boundary along
Phang-nga coastal plain from natural color composite IKONOS images highlighting from
Laem Krang Yai to Ban Khao Lak. Some place as Ban Bang Sak, Bang Muang sub
district, Takua Pa district, the wave could reach approximately 550 meters at elevation 10
meters above mean sea level as Figure 10. Figure 11 also, the wave reached 2,200 meters
distance from the shoreline at Ban Bang Niang, Takua Pa district, Phang-nga province.
3. GISTDA activities in response to Tsunami disaster
Recognizing the significance of the Tsunami disaster and its devastating impact,
Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Public Organization);
GISTDA has acquired and processed satellite data from various sources both optical and
microwave sensors operating from low medium and high resolutions then provide up-to-
date and ready-to-use data integrated with GIS data immediately after the Disaster to
users and other relevant information collected from field investigation as well. The
Satellite Imagery based Information Center for Tsunami Recovery was established in
order to supply satellite images, GIS data and relevant technology support for the
recovery effort to the area affected by the tsunami disaster. GISTDA also published the
Tsunami story book entitled Geo-informatic data for Tsunami monitoring and
management in Thailand which it contains Tsunami story, Geo-informatic data for
Tsunami monitoring, mitigation and recovery, field photos as well as Tsunami evacuation
plan. In addition, technical consultations were provided to cooperate with requested agency
in data utilization for recovery effort (http://tsunamirecovery.gistda.or.th).
At least 50 governmental agencies, private sectors and educational institutes have
already been received and utilized satellite images as part of recovery missions.
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4. Conclusions and Recommendations
The potential of high and low resolution satellite data and GIS technology, in
addition to assessing and monitoring tsunami disaster and also offer excellent
opportunities for creating a long term database on risk assessment and relief management.
As for coastal shoreline erosion study, the satellite data should preferably belong to the
low tide period. Because during low tide condition, maximum land is exposed and even
low waterline, land-water boundary and high waterline are distinctly visible.
5. References
5.1 Alexander D., Natural Disasters. UCL Press Limited, London (1999).
5.2 A report of the CEOS Disaster Management Support Group (2000).
5.3 Clark J ohn R., Coastal Zone Management Handbook (1996).
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Table 1 Estimation of Tsunami areas by District/Province, Thailand
Miscellaneous: Includes beach, sand bar, mangrove forest, beach forest, standing tree, road, abandoned tin mining, and barren area
Built-up
Area
Agricultural
Area
Forest Area Water body
Area
Miscellaneou
s
Total
District/Province
Area
(ha)
Area
%
Area
(ha)
Area
%
Area
(ha)
Area
%
Aera
(ha)
Area
%
Area
(ha)
Area
%
Area
(ha)
Area
%
Ranong
Suk Samran
15
15
28.68
28.68
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
37
37
71.32
71.32
52
52
0.26
0.26
Phang-nga
Ko Phra Thong,
Khura Buri
Ko Kho Khao,
Takua Pa
Ban Nam Khem,
Takua Pa
Khao Lak, Takua
Pa
Ban Khao Lak,
Thai Muang
988
63
102
130
661
33
5.64
0.79
2.50
8.01
17.59
37.79
2,28
6
498
205
496
1,08
6
-
13.0
6
6.25
5.04
30.5
9
28.9
0
-
993
-
993
-
-
-
5.67
-
24.3
9
-
-
-
196
7
38
110
42
-
1.12
0.08
0.93
6.77
1.10
-
13,05
0
7,405
2,734
888
1,969
54
74.51
92.88
67.14
54.63
52.41
62.21
17,5
15
7,97
3
4,07
2
1,64
2
3,75
8
87
89.3
5
40.6
7
20.7
7
8.29
19.1
7
0.44
Phuket
Hat Kamala, Kathu
Hat Patong, Kathu
1,24
7
305
942
63.59
40.22
78.34
74
44
30
3.79
5.85
2.50
-
-
-
-
-
-
26
13
14
1.35
1.69
1.13
613
396
217
31.27
52.24
18.03
1,96
1
759
1,20
2
10.0
0
3.87
6.13
Krabi
Ko Phi Phi, Muang
Krabi
60
60
79.47
79.47
12
12
15.2
6
15.2
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
4
5.27
5.27
76
76
0.39
0.39
Total 2,31
1
11.79 2,37
2
12.1
0
993 5.06 223 1.14 13,70
4
69.91 19,6
04
100.
00
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Figure 1 Comparison of TERARA and AQUA MODIS during tsunami event, left image was taken on December 22, 2004 (before),
middle and right images of December 26, 2004 at 10 :35 and 13:35 local Thai time were captured during and after the
event respectively.
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Figure 2 Pre (24 J anuary 2004) and Post (29 December 2004) tsunami event of IKONOS images of Patong beach, Phuket province.
Red boundary responses to an affected area.
Copyright_Space Imaging/GISTDA_2004 Copyright_Space Imaging/GISTDA_2004
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1= The Seaview Patong
Figure 3 Two period natural color composite IKONOS images (24 and 28 December 2004). Yellow vector indicates sand beach and
beach bank erosion at lower part of Patong beach, Phuket province.
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Figure 4 Pre and post natural color composite IKONOS images of Kammala beach,
Phuket province taken on J anuary 24, 2004 and December 29, 2004 showing
before and after shoreline and river bank erosion in red and yellow respectively.
Pre: IKONOS Natural Color Image 24 January 2004
Kammala Beach
Copyright_Space Imaging/GISTDA_2004
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1= The Merlin Beach Resort
Figure 5 Pre and Post images of IKONOS showing a changed area of Merlin Beach Resort at Tri Trang beach, Phuket province. Also
damages to buildings, swimming pools, roads, shorelines and shrub forest
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Figure 6 Severe tsunami damage at Ban Nam Khem, Phang-nga province. Many ships were dragged 600-700 meters away from the coast.
30 December 2004
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1 = Tin placer deposites
2 = I nlets
Figure 7 Perspective views of Phang- nga coastal plain generated from IKONOS natural color composite taken on December 29, 2004
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Figure 8 Pre and Post IKONOS images of the Resort, Phang-nga province acquired on J anuary 30, 2003 (Left) and December 29, 2004
(Right) showing before and after shoreline, river bank erosion in red and yellow respextively, damages also to buildings, roads,
bridges, and aquacultural farms.
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Figure 9 Natural color composite IKONOS image (29 December 2004) overlay with
affected area in Phangnga coastal plain (yellow boundary) covering, Laem
Krang Yai, Ban Khuk Khak, Ban Bang Niang, Ban Bang La On and
Ban Khao Lak.
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Figure 10 Natural color composite of QuickBird (2 J anuary 2005) image of Ban Bang Sak where wood were transported and deposited
around 550 meters at elevation 10 meters above mean sea level.
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Figure 11 Natural color composite of IKONOS (29 December 2004) of Ban Bang Niang where sediment deposited
about 2,200 meters far from the shoreline (yellow boundary).
