Abstract
Muscat metropolitan area holds the major urban masses and capital investments in Oman. The shoreline significantly varies in its geomorphology, slope, width, land use, and ecosystems. As tsunamis and tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean are frequent, coastal inundation by sweater is inevitable and losses of lives, infrastructures, and ecosystems are expected. The current study attempts to assess the susceptibility of Muscat coast to the sudden sea level rise caused by tsunami waves and tropical cyclones using a weighted coastal sensitivity index (CSI). Data extraction and processing were carried out using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS). Results showed that the coast is highly vulnerable to flooding for about 101 km (40%). Demographic data analysis, unfortunately, reveals that at least 400,000 persons are under the direct influence of this natural hazard. On the other hand, low susceptible coastal segments account for 113 km (47%). The CSI provides an objective technique for the evaluation of coastal vulnerability to sea level rise.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abu Bakar A, Mardiatno D, Marfai MA (2017) Study on potential tsunami by earthquake in subduction zone of Sulawesi Sea. Arab J Geosci 10:553
Ahmed AA, Pradhan B, Sameen MI, Makky AM (2018) An optimized object-based analysis for vegetation mapping using integration of Quickbird and Sentinel-1 data. Arab J Geosci 11:280
Al-Awadhi T (2008) Analysis, assessment and modeling of the urban growth in greater Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Using Geographical Information Systems & Remote Sensing. Egypt J Remote Sens Space Sci 11:3–22
Al-Awadhi T (2010) The use of remote sensing and geographical information systems to assess the effects of tropical cyclones: a case study from A'Seeb after GONU Cyclone. The 1st International Conference on Tropical Cyclones and Climate Change, Muscat, Oman 8–11 March 2009, WWEP 2010–2, WMO, P. 95–104
Al-Hatrushi S (2013) Monitoring of the shoreline change using remote sensing and GIS: a case study of Al-Hawasnah tidal inlet, Al Batinah coast, Sultanate of Oman. Arab J Geosci 6:1479–1484
Al-Hatrushi S, Ramadan E, Charabi Y (2015) Application of geo-processing model for a quantitative assessment of coastal exposure and sensitivity to sea level rise in the Sultanate of Oman. Am J Clim Chang 4:379–384
Al-Najar K, Salvekar PS (2009) Understanding the tropical cyclone GONU. In: 1st WMO international conference on tropical cyclones and climate change Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, 8–11 March 2009
Ambraseys NN, Melville CP (1982) A history of Persian earthquakes. Cambridge University Press, New York, p 219
Bathrellos GD, Vasilatos C, Skilodimou HD, Stamatakis MG (2009) On the occurrence of a pumice-rich layer in Holocene deposits of western Peloponnesus, Ionian Sea, Greece. A geomorphological and geochemical approach. Cent Eur J Geosci 1(1):19–32
Bathrellos GD, Skilodimou HD, Chousianitis K, Youssef AM, Pradhan B (2017) Suitability estimation for urban development using multi-hazard assessment map. Sci Total Environ 575:119–134
Bird E (2008) Coastal geomorphology: an introduction, 2nd edn. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, England
Boruff BJ, Emrich C, Cutter SL (2005) Erosion hazard vulnerability of US coastal counties. J Coast Res 21:932–943
Chandrasekar N, Viviek V, Saravanan S (2013) Coastal vulnerability and shoreline changes for southern tip of India-remote sensing and GIS approach. Earth Sci Clim Change 4:144
Chousianitis K, Del Gaudio V, Sabatakakis N, Kavoura K, Drakatos G, Bathrellos GD, Skilodimou HD (2016) Assessment of earthquake-induced landslide hazard in Greece: from arias intensity to spatial distribution of slope resistance demand. Bull Seismol Soc Am 106(1):174–188
Donato SV, Reinhardt EG, Boyce JI, Rothaus R, Vosmer T (2008) Identifying tsunami deposits using bivalve shell taphonomy. Geology 36:199–202
Doukakis E (2005) Coastal vulnerability and risk parameters. Eur Water 1:3–7
Duriyapong F, Nakhapakorn K (2011) Coastal vulnerability assessment: a case study of Samut Sakhon coastal zone. Songklanakarin J Sci Technol 33:469–476
El-Hussain I, Omira R, Deif A, Al-Habsi Z, Al-Rawas G, Mohamad A, Al-Jabri K, Baptista M (2016) Probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment along Oman coast from submarine earthquakes in the Makran subduction zone. Arab J Geosci 9:668
Fritz H, Blount C, Albusaidi F, Al-Harthy A (2010) Cyclone Gonu storm surge in Oman. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 86:102–106
Ghosh A, Mukhopadhyay S (2017) Vulnerability assessment through index modeling: a case study in Muriganga-Saptamukhi estuarine interfluve, Sundarban, India. Arab J Geosci 10:408
Gornitz VM, Daniels RC, White TW, Birdwell KR (1994) The development of coastal risk assessment database: vulnerability to sea-level rise in the US southeast. J Coast Res 12:327–338
Hammar-Klose ES, Pendleton EA, Thieler ER, Williams SJ (2003) Coastal vulnerability assessment of Cape Cod national seashore (CACO) to sea-level rise (Open-File Report no. 02-233). United States Geological Survey, Reston (VA)
Heidarzadeh M, Pirooz MD, Zaker NH, Yalciner AC, Mokhtari M, Esmaeily A (2007) Historical tsunami in the Makran subduction zone off the southern coasts of Iran and Pakistan and results of numerical modeling. Ocean Eng 30-35(8):774–786
Hereher M (2015) Assessment of Egypt’s Red Sea coastal sensitivity to climate change. Environ Earth Sci 74:2831–2843
Hereher M (2016) Vulnerability assessment of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast to climate change. Environ Earth Sci 75(30):1–13
Hoffmann G, Reicherter K, Wiatr T, Grutzner C, RauschBlock T (2013) Block and boulder accumulations along the coastline between Fins and Sur (Sultanate of Oman): tsunamigenic remains. Nat Hazards 65:851–873
IPCC (2007) Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. In: Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE (eds) Contribution of working group II to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 976
Keller E (2012) Introduction to environmental geology, 5th edn. Prentice Hall, New York
Kukowski N, Schillhorn T, Flueh ER, Huhn K (2000) Newly identifed strike-slip plate boundary in the northeastern Arabian Sea. Geology 28(4):355–358
Kumar A, Kunte P (2012) Coastal vulnerability assessment for Chennai, east coast of India using geospatial techniques. Nat Hazards 64:853–872
Kumar TS, Mahendra RS, Nayak S, Radhakrishnan K, Sahu KC (2010) Coastal vulnerability assessment for Orissa state, East Coast of India. J Coast Res 26(3):523–534
Kunte PD, Jauhari N, Mehrotra U, Kotha M, Hursthouse AS, Gagnon AS (2014) Multi-hazards coastal vulnerability assessment of Goa, India using geospatial techniques. Ocean Coast Manag 95:264–281
Malczewski J (1999) GIS and multicriteria decision analysis. John Wiley & Sons, New York
National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) (2012) 2010 census data by localities. Sultanate of Oman, Muscat
National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) (2015) Statistical year book. Sultanate of Oman, Muscat
Nicholls R (2015) Adapting to sea level rise. In: coastal and marine hazards, risks, and disasters. Ellis J, Sherman D, Shroder J (eds). Elsevier, pp. 243-270
Pendleton EA, Thieler ER, Jeffress SW. 2005. Coastal vulnerability assessment of golden gate national recreation area to sea-level rise (open-file report no. 2005–1058). Reston (VI): United States Geological Survey
Rabinovich AB, Thomson RE (2007) The 26 December 2004 Sumatra tsunami: analysis of tide gauge data from the world ocean part 1. Indian Ocean and South Africa. In tsunami and its hazards in the Indian and Pacific Ocean 261–308. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-006-0164-5
Saleh MA (2007) Mangrove vegetation on Abu Minqar island of the Red Sea. Int J Remote Sens 28:5191–5194
Sankari T, Chandramouli AR, Gokul K, Surya SS, Saravanavel J (2015) Coastal vulnerability mapping using geospatial technologies in Cuddalore-Pichavaram coastal tract, Tamil Nadu, India. Aquat Proc 4:412–418
Soltanpour M (2015) A study on the probability of tsunami attacks in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. In: Esteban M, Takagi H, Shibayama T (eds) Handbook of Coastal Disaster Mitigation for Engineers and Planners. Elsevier Inc, Massachusetts
Stanley DJ, Warne AG (1994) Worldwide initiation of Holocene marine deltas by deceleration of sea-level rise. Science 265:228–231
Stokke K (2014) Adaptation to sea level rise in spatial planning - experiences from coastal towns in Norway. Ocean Coast Manag 94:66–73
Thieler ER, Hammar-Klose ES (1999) National assessment of coastal vulnerability to sea-level rise, US Atlantic coast (Open-File Report no. 99–593, 1 sheet). United States Geological Survey, Woods Hole
Tucker CJ (1979) Red and photographic infrared linear combinations for monitoring vegetation. Remote Sens Environ 8:127–150
White RS, Ross DA (1979) Tectonics of the western Gulf of Oman. J Geophys Res 84:3479–3489
Funding
This research is a part of a funded research project from the HM Trust Funds (SR/ART/GEOG/17/01), Sultan Qaboos University, Oman.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Marina Rabineau
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Awadhi, T., Mansour, S. & Hereher, M. Assessment of coastal sensitivity to non-eustatic sea level rise: a case study on Muscat coast—Sultanate of Oman. Arab J Geosci 13, 371 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05321-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05321-x