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Despite many discussions on the impacts of natural disasters on fertility outcomes, their implications for fertility preferences as a mechanism remain unexplored. This study proposes that natural disasters could promote fertility preferences by reinforcing traditional values. The empirical analysis relies on a post-tsunami longitudinal survey of individuals in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra in Indonesia frankenberg2020study. Out of the 28,376 survey respondents, our sample considers around 10,700 individuals aged 15 or more, whose responses are available for the variables used in the estimation. The results from individual-level cross-sectional regressions suggest that the ideal number of children increased with the extent of tsunami damage in that region. The increased fertility preference was more pronounced for people with greater religiosity and those who strengthened their family ties after the tsunami, supporting that the shift in fertility preference was intertwined with the rise of traditional values. For policymakers, our findings raise the need to consider the potentially lasting implications of shifts in cultural attitudes toward fertility beyond immediate post-disaster relief efforts. To address the limitations of our cross-sectional evidence, future research will need to investigate the dynamic relationship between fertility preferences and natural disasters using alternative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unusual devastating tsunami occurred on September 28, 2018 after a strike‐slip faulting earthquake in Sulawesi, Indonesia. The induced tsunami struck Palu city with ∼4‐m flow depth. We performed two analyses to investigate the source of the tsunami. We first conducted the teleseismic source inversion and obtained the overall slip distribution of the strike‐slip fault. Our tsunami simulation from the coseismic deformation of the seismically estimated strike‐slip faulting produced a tsunami comparable to the leading part of the observation at Pantoloan. In order to reconstruct the detailed slip distribution on the fault plane, we then jointly utilized the tsunami waveform and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. Because of the lack of SAR data in the bay, the tsunami data is necessary to constrain the offshore slip distribution, which directly induces the tsunami. The inverted source model shows a strike‐slip fault which consists of three segments extending from the epicenter to the south of 1.4°S with two bends and two asperities around Palu city. The joint inversion model accurately reconstructs the observed surface displacements and the leading part of the tsunami waveform. Our result exhibits the significant contribution of the strike‐slip faulting to the tsunami, but it also suggests additional tsunami sources, such as landslides, for the high inundations near Palu bay. The result also indicates that regional devastating tsunamis can be generated by an onshore strike‐slip fault with localized large dip slip. Plain Language Summary: The Palu, Indonesia, earthquake of September 28, 2018 produced tsunami flooding and damage in Palu city. Because of its strike‐slip mechanism, which is typically not efficient to produce tsunamis, multiple submarine landslides have been speculated as a tsunami source. We found that the fault model estimated by teleseismic waves (recorded globally outside Indonesia) can reproduce the tsunami recorded at the Pantoloan station in Palu bay. This indicates that the source of tsunami recoded at Pantoloan is mostly the fault motion due to the earthquake. We then combined the displacements measured by Synthetic Aperture Radar images and the Pantoloan tsunami waveform to estimate the detailed slip distribution on the fault. The slip model shows a strike‐slip fault with two large slip areas located near Palu city between two bends. This model well reproduces the Pantoloan tsunami but fails to fully reproduce the inundations in Palu city, suggesting that additional tsunami sources, such as landslides, should be responsible for the large inundations in Palu city. Our result suggests that a strike‐slip fault can induce a devastating local tsunami. Key Points: Two analyses utilizing teleseismic, Synthetic Aperture Radar, and tsunami data retrieve an earthquake source model that explains the observed tsunamiA strike‐slip fault with localized large dip slip of the 2018 Palu earthquake induced the devastating regional tsunamiOnshore strike‐slip faults should also be regarded as a potential source of tsunamis for regional areas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The September 28, 2018 earthquake and tsunami, which occurred north of Palu City, Indonesia, attracted widespread interest from the scientific community due to the unusually large tsunami that occurred after a strike-slip earthquake with a relatively small moment magnitude (MW = 7.5). To understand the structural performance of buildings and infrastructure under hydrodynamic loads and their associated effects, the authors conducted field surveys in Palu City. Light wooden frame constructions and masonry infill walls were common in the area, some of which were severely damaged by the earthquake and tsunami. Reinforced concrete structures remained predominantly intact, although they suffered soil-related issues such as scour around rigid building members. Local structural failures caused by the loss of supporting soil were also observed during the field survey, resulting in an overall reduction in the stability of the inspected structures. Based on the observations made, knowledge gaps and research needs concerning coastal and structural scouring are discussed. These are tied into the latest community research activities and put in the context of a published ASCE standard chapter that discusses tsunami design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 22 December 2018 Anak Karakatau tsunami in Indonesia was a rare event in that few instrumental records existed of tsunamis generated by volcanic sources before this event. The tsunami, which left a death toll of 437, is of global importance as it provides opportunities to develop knowledge on generation, propagation and coastal effects of volcanic tsunamis. Here, we report results of field surveys along the coast of the Sunda Strait, Indonesia to study tsunami wave heights and coastal damage. We surveyed 29 locations and measured ranges of tsunami runup from 0.9 to 5.2 m, tsunami heights from 1.4 to 6.3 m, flow depths from 0.2 m to 3.0 m and inundation distances from 18 to 212 m. The largest tsunami heights and concentration of damage and fatalities occurred on the western shore of Java from Tanjung Lesung to Sumur. The largest cluster of fatalities occurred at Tanjung Lesung, where more than 50 people died while attending an outdoor music being held at the shoreline. The tsunami runup and tsunami height in Tanjung Lesung were 4.0 and 2.9–3.8 m, respectively. We believe this tragedy could have been avoided if the event organizers were more aware of the hazard posed by the Anak Krakatau volcano, as it had been actively erupting for several months prior to the tsunami, and simply moved the concert stage 100 m inland. Many of the locations surveyed demonstrated a similar pattern where the majority of casualties and destruction occurred within 100 m of the coast; in several locations, lives were saved where buildings were located at least this distance inland. The significant damage and numerous deaths which occurred in Sumur, despite the moderate tsunami height of 2.3–2.5 m, can be attributed to the extremely low-lying coastal land there. Flow depth in Sumur was 0.9–2.0 m. During our field surveys, nearly one year after the event, we noted that some of the damaged buildings were being rebuilt in the same locations just 10–30 m from the shoreline. We question this practice since the new buildings could be at the same tsunami risk as those damaged in the 2018 event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 22 December 2018, a tsunami was generated from the Mount Anak Krakatau area that was caused by volcanic flank failures. The tsunami had severe impacts on the western coast of Banten and the southern coasts of Lampung in Indonesia. A series of surveys to measure the impacts of the tsunami was started 3 d after the tsunami and lasted for 10 d. Immediate investigations allowed the collection of relatively authentic images of the tsunami impacts before the clearing process started. This article investigates the impacts of the 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami on the affected areas and presents an analysis of the impacts of pure hydrodynamic tsunami forces on buildings. Impacts of the tsunami were expected to exhibit different characteristics than those found following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Aceh. Data were collected from 117 flow depths along the Banten and Lampung coasts. Furthermore, 98 buildings or houses were assessed for damage. Results of this study revealed that the flow depths were higher in Banten than in Lampung. Directions of the tsunami arrays created by the complex bathymetry around the strait caused these differences. Tsunami-induced damage to buildings was mostly the result of impact forces and drag forces. Damping forces could not be associated with the damage. The tsunami warning system in Indonesia should be extended to anticipate non-seismic tsunamis, such as landslides and volcanic processes driven by tsunamis. The lack of a tsunami warning during the first few minutes after the generation of the first wave led to a significant number of human casualties in both of the affected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An earthquake with a magnitude of Mw=7.5 that occurred in Sulawesi, Indonesia, on 28 September 2018 triggered liquefaction and tsunamis that caused severe damage and many casualties. This paper reports the results of a post-tsunami field survey conducted by a team with members from Indonesia and Taiwan that began 13 d after the earthquake. The main purpose of this survey was to measure the run-up of tsunami waves and inundation and observe the damage caused by the tsunami. Measurements were made in 18 selected sites, most in Palu Bay. The survey results show that the run-up height and inundation distance reached 10.7 m in Tondo and 488 m in Layana. Inundation depths of 2 to 4 m were common at most sites and the highest was 8.4 m in Taipa. The arrival times of the tsunami waves were quite short and different for each site, typically about 3–8 min from the time of the main earthquake event. This study also describes the damage to buildings and infrastructure and coastal landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 22 December 2018, a tsunami was generated from the Mount Anak Krakatau area that was caused by volcanic flank failures. The tsunami had severe impacts on the western coast of Banten and the southern coasts of Lampung in Indonesia. A series of surveys to measure the impacts of the tsunami was started three days after the tsunami and lasted ten days. Immediate investigations allowed the collection of relatively authentic images of the tsunami impacts before the clearing process started. This article investigates the impacts of the 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami on the affected areas and presents an analysis of the impacts of pure hydrodynamic tsunami forces on buildings. Impacts of the tsunami were expected to exhibit different characteristics than those found following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Aceh. Data was collected from 117 flow depths along the Banten and Lampung coasts. Furthermore, 98 buildings or houses were assessed for damage. Results of this study revealed that the flow depths were higher in Banten than in Lampung. Directions of the tsunami arrays created by the complex bathymetry around the strait caused these differences. Tsunami-induced damage to buildings was mostly the result of impact forces and drag forces. Damping forces could not be associated with the damages. The tsunami warning system in Indonesia should be extended to anticipate non-seismic tsunamis, such as landslides and volcanic processes driven by tsunamis. Lack of a tsunami warning during the first few minutes after the generation of the first wave led to a significant number of human casualties at both of the affected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On September 28, 2018, a large earthquake and its accompanying tsunami waves caused severe damage to the coastal area of Palu Bay, in the central western part of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. To clarify the distribution of tsunami inundation and run-up heights, and damage to coastal communities due to the tsunami, the authors conducted a field survey 1 month after the event. In the inner part of Palu Bay tsunami inundation and run-up heights of more than 4 m were measured at many locations, and severe damage by the tsunami to coastal low-lying settlements was observed. In the areas to the north of the bay and around its entrance the tsunami inundation and run-up heights were lower than in the inner part of the bay. The tsunami inundation distance depended on the topographical features of coastal areas. The southern shore of the bay experienced a longer inundation distance than other shores, though generally severe damage to houses was limited to within around 200 m from the shoreline. The main lessons that can be learnt from the present event are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional disaster data are important for understanding the characteristics of disasters and for identifying potential mitigation measures. However, many countries have no official disaster database that includes information such as numbers of deaths or damaged buildings for each disaster event. The Global Centre for Disaster Statistics (GCDS) was established to assist countries and organizations in the collection of disaster data. At present, a significant amount of tsunami disaster data are available from Indonesia, which will be used to demonstrate its application for analyzing vulnerability characteristics of historical tsunamis. There are 53 data points covering 13 tsunami events between the year 1861 and 2014. Based on data availability, five tsunami events, namely the 1977 Sumba, the 2004 Indian Ocean, the 2006 Java, the 2010 Mentawai, and the 2011 Great East Japan, were selected. Numbers of deaths and damaged buildings were used in combination with hazard data to estimate vulnerability, defined as the ratio between maximum flow depth against death and building damage ratios. Numbers of evacuees were initially used to estimate actual numbers of exposed population but it was later discovered that this parameter overestimated the exposed population in certain cases. As a result, this study presents the vulnerability characteristics of people and buildings in Indonesia, exposed to unusual or extreme tsunamis, mostly in a condition without or with limited access to official warnings. In brief, a maximum flow depth of 5 m caused an approximate 100% death ratio in the majority of Indonesian tsunamis in this study. On the other hand, death ratio in the 2011 Japan tsunami was limited to 10% because of the early warning and high disaster awareness. Effective disaster risk reduction activities such as official warnings, evacuations, and tsunami education were observed for certain locations. Lastly, adding hazard and population data at the village level is recommended for improving the collection of future tsunami disaster data for the GCDS database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares Korean, Indonesian, and US tsunami awareness, the ultimate goal being to reduce human loss, economic damage, and psychological impact resulting from tsunamis. Using the comparative perspective, the study examines the start of Korean awareness of tsunamis, tsunami awareness in Indonesia, and US tsunami awareness with mitigation. Three components are examined: government policy, researchers' efforts, and residents' readiness. The value of this study lies in its initial and systematic comparison of these three nations' approach towards tsunami awareness. It recommends that each nation learn from the major phases of other types of awareness to achieve its ultimate goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The earthquake activities along the Indonesian Sunda Margin, which is delineated parallel to the Indonesian Island chain, were statistically investigated. Utilizing the obtained completeness earthquake catalogue, the mapped spatial distributions of the (i) possible maximum magnitude, (ii) return period, and (iii) probability of exceedance of an earthquake of a given magnitude revealed that the Indonesian Island chain could be classified into three different hazard level groups. The highest hazard level was located along the segment of Padang to Jakarta, surrounding Ambon, and northeastern Palu, whereas the southwestern Yogyakarta, southwestern Bajawa, and Dili, were classified as an intermediate hazard level. Although Makassar, southern Praya, southern Bajawa, and southeastern Dili was classified as a relatively low hazard area (compared to the other areas in the Indonesian Island chain), a major earthquake (7.0 M) is still likely to occur with 10-20% probabilities in the next 50 years. Therefore, the contribution of suitable local mitigation plans for both seismic and tsunami hazards are strongly recommended for all the different regions within the Indonesian Island chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes whether a submarine landslide worsen the tsunami in Indonesia on September 28, 2018. Topics discussed include damages caused by the tsunami, hypotheses regarding the possible trigger mechanism for the tsunami including submarine landslides, and role of the shape and topography of Palu bay in the surprise tsunami.

The devastation caused by the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami opened access for many different organizations to enter Aceh to conduct disaster relief operations. This paper examines the role of one such actor, the Islamic organization Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI). Through its humanitarian work, including the provision of relief aid, medical care, and trauma healing, HTI pursued its political-religious vision of 'caliphatization', the restoration of a global Caliphate and the implementation of Islamic law. Because Islam was already a dominant feature of the Acehnese context with the vast majority of Acehnese declaring a Muslim identity, the case of HTI's disaster relief work was one of intra-religious proselytization to proximate others. Even so, HTI's project was intended to be transformative. However, while the disaster clearly provided an opening for HTI to expand its work in Aceh, and while HTI experienced significant growth in the region as a consequence, its wider project of 'caliphatization' failed to resonate with political elites and has had little impact on political processes. This paper analyses HTI's disaster relief work and assesses the reasons for both its rapid growth and limited political impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tsunami disaster in Calang (Aceh, Indonesia) in December 2004 caused traffic jam at a bottleneck on an evacuation road that was fatal, killing most of the evacuees. This tragedy provides an invaluable lesson for evacuation planning in several other locations that are prone to tsunami events. Parangtritis is a local tourism destination that is also prone to tsunami hazard. Although the evacuation routes have been prepared and evacuation direction sign boards have been provided, a study on their capacity and suitability were required. One of the methods was employing mathematical simulations. This paper addresses the development of a mathematical model based on the Dijkstra algorithm and its application to evacuation during a tsunami at Parangtritis Beach, Indonesia. The running speeds of evacuees were derived from world athletes' running records but with significantly lower coefficients to model ordinary people. Trial runs were also carried out to calibrate the value of f that represented the ratio between running speed on the certain route and on well paved, horizontal and obstacle free road. The results suggested that the existing evacuation routes were not sufficient and that the direction of evacuation need adjustment. It was found that relatively slower runners that were in front of faster runners would potentially decrease the average evacuation speed. Vertical evacuation routes, such as along steep hills or high buildings, must be wide enough (to ensure a low crowd density) and easily accessible (to ensure a higher evacuation route speed) to avoid traffic jams. The number of people to be evacuated and road condition are vital factors to determine the evacuation routes to the selected shelters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated surviving women's learning experiences from the 2004 tsunami in Aceh. Women were the majority of casualties and the most vulnerable after the tsunami. Almost a decade later, we used a conceptual framework of experiential learning, critical reflection, and transformative learning to understand the surviving women's ways of learning after the disaster. This paper highlights a qualitative study from a larger mixed methods study. Of the larger study's 450 survey respondents, we interviewed 103 participants using a semi-structured interview protocol for 1 to 1.5 hr. From those participants, this paper highlights 13 women who articulated significant learning during their experience. The findings indicate the women learnt through reflection, talking, and feelings. Furthermore, their learning and reflection on life's experiences enabled them to strike a balance and lead a better life. This study highlights that learning experiences in a critical life event can eventually result in a person's changed behavior, attitudes, knowledge, beliefs, or skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 100,000 houses were built following the devastation caused by the Tsunami of December 26, 2004. Here the authors investigated thermal comfort in housing built in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, following the widespread destruction of buildings and compared it with undamaged existing houses and a traditional Acehnese house. The study is based on a field survey, questionnaires, and performance simulations. The findings show no significant difference between the post-tsunami housing and the unaffected existing housing, except traditional Acehnese houses which generally performed better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aceh, located in the northernmost area of Sumatra Island, is one of the regions that suffered the most damage from the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. The process of reconstruction after a large-scale disaster is considered an opportunity to create a safer society, especially for developing countries, however the accumulation of knowledge about how to improve reconstruction is insufficient. The affected areas have diverse social and economic characteristics and unprecedented restoration efforts have been made. The Indian Ocean tsunami disaster, therefore, provides numerous research opportunities, and many surveys and other researches have been conducted to better understand what happened and how the reconstruction process could be improved. However, the majority of such research has focused on housing reconstruction, rebuilding livelihoods and community rehabilitation and there has been only limited research on transportation-related issues. Thus, there is significance in evaluating the reconstruction of Aceh from a transportation perspective, a dimension that has yet to be examined systematically. As a first step in the effort to evaluate various aspects of the reconstruction of Aceh from a transportation perspective, this research aims to present three transportation-related issues within the reconstruction process—1) the road network in the Banda Aceh coastal area, 2) mobility in relocation sites, and 3) reconstruction of the Banda Aceh–Meulaboh road—and to conduct a preliminary analysis of these issues by adding the viewpoint of disaster management and reconstruction, the authors'' area of specialization. For conducting a preliminary analysis, existing information such as research papers, articles and reports and data collected through interviews and field reconnaissance conducted by the authors were utilized as much as possible, and such “qualitative data” was analyzed by applying the “interpretive approach”, considered an appropriate analytical framework for qualitative data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In a tsunami event human casualties and infrastructure damage are determined predominantly by seaquake intensity and offshore properties. On land, wave energy is attenuated by gravitation (elevation) and friction (land cover). Tree belts have been promoted as "bioshields" against wave impact. However, given the lack of quantitative evidence of their performance in such extreme events, tree belts have been criticized for creating a false sense of security. This study used 180 transects perpendicular to over 100 km on the west coast of Aceh, Indonesia to analyze the influence of coastal vegetation, particularly cultivated trees, on the impact of the 2004 tsunami. Satellite imagery; land cover maps; land use characteristics; stem diameter, height, and planting density; and a literature review were used to develop a land cover roughness coefficient accounting for the resistance offered by different land uses to the wave advance. Applying a spatial generalized linear mixed model, we found that while distance to coast was the dominant determinant of impact (casualties and infrastructure damage), the existing coastal vegetation in front of settlements also significantly reduced casualties by an average of 5%. In contrast, dense vegetation behind villages endangered human lives and increased structural damage. Debris carried by the backwash may have contributed to these dissimilar effects of land cover. For sustainable and effective coastal risk management, location of settlements is essential, while the protective potential of coastal vegetation, as determined by its spatial arrangement, should be regarded as an important livelihood provider rather than just as a bioshield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami was responsible for more than 200,000 deaths. Indonesia suffered the worst of the disaster with more than 169,000 dead and more than a million people displaced. A Tsunami Early Warning System has been designed and built, with a warning center located in Aceh. However, little is known about how to carry the warning to the local population. No one knows if this warning system will work, mainly because no one knows how the people will react to a warning of this magnitude. The purpose of this paper is to review both the human factors literature on warning systems and the social psychology literature on social structures and attitudes/beliefs. By combining the two fields, we hope to provide a more thorough knowledge base with which to begin the task of finding a solution to preventing another disaster. We also discuss potential future research in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this case study, we investigate the applicability of rainwater harvesting as a sustainable water supply option in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, an area severely hit by the tsunami in 2004. Due to technical and geographical factors, the local residents spend approximately 16% of their incomes on the purchase of water. For this reason, a new, economical, and sustainable way of obtaining water is a most important and urgent concern. A team from Seoul National University recently developed and installed several rainwater harvesting systems in the area in January 2007 and 2008, focusing particularly on increasing public awareness of rainwater harvesting and capacity building in Banda Aceh. This paper discusses the general public perceptions, installation methods, and viability of the system. We found that rainwater harvesting, accompanied by an increase in public awareness and appropriate education, can best serve the needs of the community. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The great outer-rise earthquake (Mw 8.3) occurred near the Sunda trench, Indonesia, on 19 August 1977. The earthquake has been previously studied using seismological data. The earthquake generated a large tsunami that caused severe damage in Sumbawa and Sumba Islands in Indonesia. The tsunami was also observed at tide gauges in Australia. We numerically computed a far-field tsunami, and we compared the observed tsunami waveforms on three tide gauges with the computed waveforms. We also numerically computed the tsunami inundation and compared the observed tsunami run-up of 8 m and tsunami inundation distance of 500 m in Lunyuk on Sumbawa Island with the computed ones. To explain the observed tsunami waveforms, tsunami run-up, and tsunami inundation distance, the slip amount is found to be 3 m on the assumed fault model (with a fault length of 200 km and fault width of 70 km). The rigidity is assumed to range between 6.0 and 6.8 x 1010N m-2, and the range of the total seismic moment is calculated to be between 2.5 and 2.9 x 1021 N m (Mw 8.2), which is similar to those estimated by the previous seismological studies. Additionally, we calculated the ratio between the observed tsunami run-up and the computed maximum tsunami height along the coastline of Lunyuk. This ratio, called the amplification factor, may possibly be used to roughly estimate the tsunami run-up from a tsunami numerical calculation result on a coarse grid system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a brief overview of issues relating to livelihood recovery assistance and achievements in Aceh since the December 2004 tsunami. 'Livelihood' programs were intended to help tsunami-affected households quickly resume productive activities and return to 'normal' life. They formed an important component of the tsunami recovery portfolios of the Indonesian government and many international donors, distributing millions of dollars worth of equipment, cash and other forms of support to tsunami victims. This article queries the effectiveness and impact of some of these programs in Acehnese villages, particularly during the early phases of recovery. It is unlikely that an international response on the scale witnessed in Aceh over the last four years will occur again with future disasters. Nonetheless, the 'livelihoods' approach is probably here to stay, and many important lessons can be drawn from the Aceh experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to analyse two policy narratives that were politicised in the context of post-tsunami response in Eastern Sri Lanka and Aceh, Indonesia. These areas had been affected by war for several decades before the tsunami hit. The first narrative of public safety saw government imposition of post-tsunami buffer zones, ostensibly as measures to protect those affected, but they also incited tensions in both locations. The second relates to post-tsunami aid distribution. Developing policies and implementing bodies for tsunami aid has proven highly contentious, but uniquely so in each location. Whereas the tsunami in Sri Lanka has been followed by renewed fighting and the end of the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement, the province of Aceh enjoys the fruits of the 2005 peace agreement that has created greater autonomy from central government and greater access to resources than ever before. Each conflict has historically and geopolitically distinct antecedents, resulting in very different post-disaster policy contexts and political challenges on the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tsunami that struck and devastated large sections of the coastline of Aceh in northern Sumatra, on 26 December 2004 was generated by a massive offshore earthquake of magnitude 9·3. As part of the reconstruction programme, UNICEF is engaged in the replacement of old schools and health clinics at over 580 locations throughout the province of Aceh and the island of Nias. The programme is urgent and tight, compounded frequently by difficult access. An approach to the examination of the ground conditions at the sites had to be established that would allow the use of light equipment and tools and a relatively unskilled workforce. In situ tests were conducted using a locally manufactured equivalent light Dutch cone apparatus, a dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) and field vane equipment. Laboratory testing, apart from normal identification and classification tests, included undrained shear strength determinations. This paper sets out the modus operandi developed to suit the site conditions, and describes the types of soil and conditions encountered. The paper also presents a tentative correlation between the results of the in situ (DCP) testing and the undrained shear strength of the samples recovered for laboratory testing. The approach should have merit when responding to future disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We assessed the levels and correlates of posttraumatic stress reactivity (PTSR) of more than 20000 adult tsunami survivors by analyzing survey data from coastal Aceh and North Sumatra, Indonesia. Methods. A population-representative sample of individuals interviewed before the tsunami was traced in 2005 to 2006. We constructed 2 scales measuring PTSR by using 7 symptom items from the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Civilian Version. One scale measured PTSR at the time of interview, and the other measured PTSR at the point of maximum intensity since the disaster. Results. PTSR scores were highest for respondents from heavily damaged areas. In all areas, scores declined over time. Gender and age were significant predictors of PTSR; markers of socioeconomic status before the tsunami were not. Exposure to traumatic events, loss of kin, and property damage were significantly associated with higher PTSR scores. Conclusions. The tsunami produced posttraumatic stress reactions across a wide region of Aceh and North Sumatra. Public health will be enhanced by the provision of counseling services that reach not only people directly affected by the tsunami but also those living beyond the area of immediate impact. (Am J Public Health. 2008;98:1671-1677. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.120915) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tremendous loss of life and assets resulting from the 2004 tsunami dealt a devastating blow to the coastal communities of Aceh Province, Indonesia. An assessment of the fishing fleet structure pre- and post-tsunami, including associated pattern in boat aid, in 15 coastal communities was conducted and compared with data on boat relief efforts over 17 districts of the Province. Aid was found to be not proportionally allocated to losses incurred by communities and was in many cases below what could be seen as a trend toward overcapacity. The distribution of aid appeared to be done without consideration of the former structure of the fleet, which changed significantly over time (pre- and post-tsunami), and resulted in a new fleet of reduced diversity with a strong focus on the smaller boat categories. If this situation perpetuates after the initial post-disaster period, it may further exacerbate the pre-existing economic and geographic marginalisation of some remote communities, and reduce the capacities of the fleets to diversify and develop multi-species harvesting strategies; thus, increasing the risk of ecologically unsustainable exploitation in near shore areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 26 December 2004 tsunami disaster around the Indian Ocean provided an opportunity to see if decades of knowledge and experience on post-disaster settlement and shelter could be applied to match the tagline which many groups gave to the post-tsunami reconstruction: ‘build back better’ (or ‘building back better’). This paper uses evidence from field work completed on implementing settlement and shelter in post-tsunami Aceh and Sri Lanka to examine whether or not the theory and practice of ‘build back better’ were witnessed. Focusing on settlement and shelter, four areas are examined: (i) safety, security, and livelihoods; (ii) how post-disaster settlement and shelter could have an improved connection with permanent housing and communities (the ‘transition to what?’ question); (iii) fairness and equity; and (iv) connecting relief and development by tackling root causes of vulnerability. Based on the field work, addressing these four areas is suggested as how ‘build back better’ could be implemented. Recommendations are 1.Community involvement is essential, but that does not necessarily mean community control. 2.Organizations involved in implementing transitional settlement and shelter need to consider their capacity and links to other sectors. 3.Thinking ahead is necessary by integrating relief and development through long-term planning and disaster risk reduction. Overall, ‘building back safer’ might be a preferable tagline to ‘building back better’ because ‘better’ has multiple interpretations, many of which caused further problems, whereas ‘safer’ provides a clearer goal on which to focus for post-disaster settlement and shelter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 26 December 2004, a severe earthquake in Sumatra caused a series of tsunami waves to strike southwestern coastal areas of Thailand. In this study, we investigated the patterns of tsunami-related damage to coral reefs at Mu Ko Similan Marine National Park. The results showed that the percent of damaged corals ranged from 7.2% to 39.7% of the total live coral cover, and the intensity of the coral damage was high at depths deeper than 10 metres at most study sites. In addition, massive and tabulate coral forms were the most susceptible to tsunami damage. The surveys also revealed that a high degree of coral damage occurred where the reef slope gradually dropped away from the shoreline. Therefore, coral communities and coastal profiles can be major factors influencing the movement of the currents generated by the tsunami and consequently may affect the pattern of coral damage by the tsunami. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the pattern of diseases in a natural disaster, which are not necessarily a direct consequence of the event but can impact on the way health assistance is to be provided. Methods Cross-sectional, record-based study in the International Committee of the Red Cross field hospital in Aceh, Indonesia, established immediately after the tsunami in 2004. Patients who presented to hospital from January 15 to 31, and whose diagnoses were available, were included in the study. Results One thousand one hundred and eighty-eight residents of Aceh participated. 43.5% of the diagnoses was chronic diseases. The odds of chronic vs. acute diseases increased by 16.4% per day up to January 23 [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.8–25.6%] and decreased thereafter by 13.1% (95% CI: 6.6–19.1%) per day. The odds of acute diseases were 34% lower among females than males (95% CI: 16–49%) and 4.3 times higher among children than the rest of the population (95% CI: 2.4–7.6). There were relatively few trauma cases among females and children. Conclusions Medical teams providing relief after acute disasters should be prepared to provide healthcare for chronic diseases too. A delay in the presentation of many acute conditions has implications for long-term health consequences of disasters, such as disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study shows how far remote-sensing technology can contribute to assess quickly the impact of the tsunami disaster in Aceh, Indonesia. It focuses on the identification of damaged buildings and land-use changes in the post-tsunami disaster using a quick-look image of IKONOS and Quickbird. The method includes pre-processing, on-screen digitizing, change detection, and generating thematic maps. The results obtained from the study include information about distribution of damaged buildings, land-use changes, and total coverage of land affected by the tsunami disaster. Building units decreased almost 85%, from 4546 units to 649 units. Up to 2 303 046 m2 of vegetated became mud-covered, while there was a decrease in the area of vegetated land, up to 1 869 676 m2. For the relocation stage, the proposed method, called a quick standard procedure, is an appropriate approach which needs to be adopted by local government, non-governmental organizations, and volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors determined the prevalence of severe emotional distress and depressive symptoms using the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 (HSCL; Derogatis, Lipman, Rickels, Uhlenhuth, & Covi, 1974) in tsunami-affected communities that had experienced armed conflict arising from the ongoing independence movement in Aceh Province, Indonesia. We also evaluated determinants of severe emotional distress. The data were collected for the purposes of a mental health assessment. In our sample (N = 262), 83.6% demonstrated severe emotional distress, and 77.1% demonstrated depressive symptoms. In multivariate regression models, severe emotional distress was positively associated with the number of tsunami-related deaths among household members. Our data suggests a need for effective interventions in this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nearly unprecedented loss of life resulting from the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004, was greatest in the province of Aceh, Sumatra (Indonesia).We evaluated tsunami damage and built empirical vulnerability models of damage/no damage based on elevation, distance from shore, vegetation, and exposure. We found that highly predictive models are possible and that developed areas were far more likely to be damaged than forested zones. Modeling exercises such as this one, conducted in other vulnerable zones across the planet, would enable managers to create better warning and protection defenses, e.g., tree belts, against these destructive forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tsunamis in Indonesia (2004) and Japan (2011) severely affected communities bordering the Indian Ocean and Japan's east coast. Despite the plausible findings arising from the available studies, the research on the impact of tsunami bore forces applied to bridges of different designs is limited. This is because the estimation methods for tsunami-induced loads presented in the literature have mainly been developed for buildings and require careful adaptation to apply to bridges. The main focus of the present study is to experimentally examine the interaction between a tsunami bore and a box section bridge with different orientations to the direction of the incoming bore, bore strengths, and deck clearances. The experiments were conducted in a 15-m-long, 1.2-m-wide, and 1.2-m-deep wave flume. The forces and pressures applied to the bridge, the bore heights, and the velocities were measured. It was found that the skewed bridge deck is subjected to additional force and moment components, namely the cross-stream force (F y) and the rolling and yawing moments (M x and M z). These components are non-existent for the unskewed bridge deck. Based on the experimental results, equations were proposed for estimating tsunami forces for a box section bridge deck. • Two main stages were observed during the impact of a tsunami bore on a bridge deck: 1) initial impact, and 2) fully inundated condition. • The streamwise force applied to a bridge deck is mainly correlated with the tsunami bore flow velocity. • A different impact mechanism was observed for a skewed bridge deck, creating the lateral force (F y) and the rolling and yawing moments (M x and M z). • The results show a decreasing trend for the streamwise and vertical tsunami forces and pitching moments as the skew angle increased. • Mathematical formulations based on the experimental results were developed for estimating the tsunami-induced forces on bridge decks with different skew angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides world news briefs on environmental matters. For example, the World Conservation Society found large numbers of baby corals in areas off Aceh, Indonesia that were devastated by the December 2004 tsunami. The U.S. Department of Agriculture organized an Office of Ecosystem Services and Markets and a Conservation and Land Management Environmental Services Board. Australia will allow the continued use of endosulfan insecticides.

The article offers information on the earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. It is said that Indonesia suffered the most, in which accumulated stress in the Sunda Trench was released and drove the tectonic plates beneath the Burma-Sunda plate. The article also presents facts about the previous tsunamis from Thailand and northern Sumatra, in which they found sand layer dated to 600-700 years ago. It is cited that ancient tsunami deposits can be preserved when there is a sediment trap that protects the sand from wind, animals, running water, and human activity.

Abstract: Disasters, both natural and man-made, are inevitable. Interpol and the ICRC have produced Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Guidelines to assist examiners in the identification of disaster victims. Nevertheless, problems remain in DVI practice, as was evident following the 2006 tsunami in Pangandaran, a popular tourist destination in West Java, Indonesia. The problems included the desire of families to bury their relatives quickly, the decomposed condition of the dead bodies, the inadequate security which hampered the identification process, the shortage of space to conduct identification, and the lack of understanding by local police and the community. Despite these challenges, simplified identification did take place. Due to these challenges, however, academics and the government have begun workshops for both professionals and non-professionals in an attempt to introduce DVI to society. These workshops have been attended by government officers, members of the public, religious figures, military personnel, fire department employees, SAR, journalists, NGOs, and regional police officers. It is anticipated that these individuals will convey the importance of DVI practice to others within their professions and communities. We propose that future identification processes be streamlined, so that they are both quicker and more efficient. This would minimise the problems experienced in DVI, particularly when there are a large number of victims. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]