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Assessment of natural coastal hazards at Alexandria/Nile Delta interface, Egypt

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Abstract

Recent in situ fine-grid waterfront survey integrated with inland elevation, nearshore depth soundings and wave data are incorporated into procedures for determining natural hazards, which are prevailing or expected at Alexandria/Nile delta interface on the Mediterranean Sea of Egypt. The hazards being assessed include wave runup height, inundation distance, rates of sea-level rise and shoreline change rate. The lateral variation of the hazard values along ~133.8 km which is the total length of the study coast helps with identifying six low-lying vulnerable spots with different potential hazards. Three vulnerable spots [2.3–2.5 m above mean sea level (msl)] are identified at Alexandria, specifically at the Eastern Harbor, Lauran and Mandara-Montaza beaches. In addition, three other low-lying spot areas are distinguished at Idku resort beach (1.0–1.5 m above msl) and on both sides of the western and eastern flanks of the Rosetta Nile promontory (1.0–1.2 m above msl). Detailed analysis of spatial and cross-shore transects generated from near shore/land elevation map marks contrasting elevations that vary from low-lying (− 3 m below msl) to high elevated carbonate ridges parallel to the shore (∼20 m above msl). The high-elevated coastal ridges underlying Alexandria’s seafront—maximum elevation of 12 m above msl—in addition to other protection elements are acting together as a natural quasi-barrier to mitigate sea flooding that may in turn affect the historical low-lying depressions located east and southeast of the city.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Ismail Awad, Centre d'Etudes Alexandrines—USR 3134, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique for generously sharing historical AutoCAD maps of the ancient depressions. Our appreciation is expressed to the Coastal Research Institute and Surveying Research institutes (Water Research Centre), in particular to Drs. Moheb Iskander and Hala Ibrahim, for providing in situ waterfront elevation data, depth soundings, waves and tidal data. Also, much appreciated are Mohamed El Zohgbi and Hazem El Zoghbi, for providing photographs and information about sea flooding in the Nile delta. We are also grateful to Dr. Essam Deabes, Coastal Research Institute for validating the tidal data used in calculating the rate of relative SLR.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Water Research Centre, Coastal Research Institute, Alexandria, 21514, Egypt

    Omran Frihy & Dina Abdalla

  2. High Institute for Tourism, Hotels and Computer, Alexandria, Egypt

    Soha Mohamed

  3. Environmental Studies and Research Institute, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Egypt

    Mamdouh El-Hattab

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  1. Omran Frihy
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  2. Soha Mohamed
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  3. Dina Abdalla
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  4. Mamdouh El-Hattab
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Correspondence to Omran Frihy.

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Frihy, O., Mohamed, S., Abdalla, D. et al. Assessment of natural coastal hazards at Alexandria/Nile Delta interface, Egypt. Environ Earth Sci 80, 3 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-09329-0

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