GIS-based earthquake disaster management system for seismic risk assessment: a case study of Sabah and Pahang, Malaysia

Earthquake disaster management in Malaysia is still at the initial stages and faces multiple challenges. There is a dearth research on, and tools for, seismic risk assessment when estimating the impact of earthquakes for specific areas. Furthermore, the absence of a central authority to integrate earthquake disaster management and lack of coordination among organizations has caused crucial data related to the earthquakes to be managed separately and in different formats. Therefore, this research aim is to develop a GIS-based earthquake management system for seismic risk assessment that involves the development and verification of the seismic vulnerability index for Malaysia; the development of a GIS-based earthquake management system database for risk management planning; and an evaluation of the proposed seismic vulnerability and risk assessment modeling system. The methodology specifically relies on the development of a set of vulnerability index indicators using multivariate data analysis to identify the local characteristics that contribute to the vulnerability and risk of inhabitants at the district scale; and the development of GIS-based system with a modeling application to generate and map the spatial distributions of seismic vulnerability and risk. The study revealed the highest levels of seismic risk were concentrated in the centre-west of the Pahang region, namely the Bentong district, whereas in Sabah the riskiest areas encompassed the district of Lahad Datu, Sandakan, Semporna, Tawau and Kunak. Evaluation of risk assessment modeling systems through the integration of verification and validation processes demonstrates a reliable and robust modeling system to perform vulnerability and risk assessment. Finally, the contribution of this study offers an alternative methodology for developed countries, which often face the lack of comprehensive and readily available data for vulnerability assessment. The weighting scheme method has been extensively used in several disciplines, particularly the field of climate change and has yet to be applied for calculating weights for seismic vulnerability and risk indicators

Construction of an Integrated Social Vulnerability Index to Identify Spatial Variability of Exposure to Seismic Hazard in Pahang, Malaysia

Devastating effects of natural disasters dynamically depends on the vulnerability components of a specific area. Therefore, assessing vulnerability is necessary to estimate the earthquake risk. This paper argues for a multidisciplinary method that integrates social vulnerability into the seismic risk analysis in Pahang. The methodology specifically relies on; (1) the development on a set of social indicators using multivariate data analysis to identify and evaluate the local characteristics that contribute to the vulnerability and risk of inhabitants of district space; and (2) the application of Geographical Information System (GIS) technology for generating and mapping the spatial pattern of social vulnerability index for seismic hazard in Pahang, Malaysia that was based on the classification of its exposure level. The classes of a social vulnerability index map were overlaid with a seismic hazard map that was proposed by JMG (Mineral and Geoscience Department Malaysia) through the use of map algebra functions in GIS tools. Results for social vulnerability map showed that, majority of the study area are in relatively low to moderate level except for Kuantan district, which is highly vulnerable. Meanwhile, the combination of the social vulnerability map and seismic hazard map reveals that, districts in the central parts of the region are the most highly exposed to earthquake threats, whereas in the eastern part it demonstrates the low level of exposure to seismic hazard (with the exception for the Kuantan district, where it is highly vulnerable). The proposed method provides useful information on the spatial variability of exposure vulnerability to seismic hazard that could enhance the earthquake preparedness and mitigation

Earthquake Risk Assessment of Sabah, Malaysia Based on Geospatial Approach

Sabah is located in the northeast region of East Malaysia and recognized as the most active seismic areas in Malaysia. The scalability and frequency of earthquakes are growing due to the existence of both local and distant ground motions from active faults, with more than 100 earthquake events have been recorded since 1923. On the other hand, the skewed socio-economic development process associated with the rapid population growth and changes in the family structure, inequality issues, and the lack of adaptation measures would intensify the vulnerability of the earthquakes. Key elements linked to socio-economic vulnerability need to be address in order to reduce the risk of earthquake. Based on previous studies, we identified vulnerabilities from a multi-dimensional perspective consisting of exposure, resilience and capacity across districts. Subsequently, a holistic indicators system with 18 variables was constructed to assess the potential earthquake vulnerability in Sabah, Malaysia. The accumulated data will present an earthquake vulnerability classification using a Geographical Information System (GIS) approach. Finally, the earthquake risk was derived by integrating the earthquake vulnerability map with earthquake hazard map proposed by the Department of Mineral and Geoscience (JMG) Malaysia. The results of the analysis revealed that the highest levels of earthquake risk accounts for 15.5% were concentrated in the eastern part of the Sabah region; the high-risk areas accounts for 7.7%; the moderate-risk areas accounts for 11.3%; and the area of low to very low risk accounts for 65.4%. Accordingly, it is expected that the derived earthquake vulnerability and risk map will allow the policymakers and response teams to improve the earthquake disaster mitigation and management in Sabah

Earthquake Risk Assessment of Sabah, Malaysia Based on Geospatial Approach

Sabah is located in the northeast region of East Malaysia and recognized as the most active seismic areas in Malaysia. The scalability and frequency of earthquakes are growing due to the existence of both local and distant ground motions from active faults, with more than 100 earthquake events have been recorded since 1923. On the other hand, the skewed socio-economic development process associated with the rapid population growth and changes in the family structure, inequality issues, and the lack of adaptation measures would intensify the vulnerability of the earthquakes. Key elements linked to socio-economic vulnerability need to be address in order to reduce the risk of earthquake. Based on previous studies, we identified vulnerabilities from a multi-dimensional perspective consisting of exposure, resilience and capacity across districts. Subsequently, a holistic indicators system with 18 variables was constructed to assess the potential earthquake vulnerability in Sabah, Malaysia. The accumulated data will present an earthquake vulnerability classification using a Geographical Information System (GIS) approach. Finally, the earthquake risk was derived by integrating the earthquake vulnerability map with earthquake hazard map proposed by the Department of Mineral and Geoscience (JMG) Malaysia. The results of the analysis revealed that the highest levels of earthquake risk accounts for 15.5% were concentrated in the eastern part of the Sabah region; the high-risk areas accounts for 7.7%; the moderate-risk areas accounts for 11.3%; and the area of low to very low risk accounts for 65.4%. Accordingly, it is expected that the derived earthquake vulnerability and risk map will allow the policymakers and response teams to improve the earthquake disaster mitigation and management in Sabah

Teknologi georuang dalam analisis potensi dan pemetaan risiko tsunami di Pantai Barat Semenanjung Malaysia

Gempa bumi yang berlaku pada 26 Disember 2004 telah mencetuskan gelombang tsunami terbesar menyebabkan limpahan tersebar di seluruh Lautan Hindi. Impaknya mengakibatkan kerosakan yang luas, kehilangan harta benda dan kehidupan terjejas di sepanjang pantai meliputi 12 negara di sepanjang Lautan Hindi. Kehilangan nyawa juga melibatkan rakyat dari 27 negara dari bahagian lain di dunia termasuklah di Malaysia terutamanya di pantai barat Semenanjung Malaysia. Kesignifikanan daripada bencana tsunami di Lautan Hindi ini, suatu tindakan persediaan dan mitigasi perlu dilaksanakan oleh pihak pengurusan bencana untuk menilai dan mengambil langkah yang bersesuaian untuk menangani dan mengurangkan risiko bencana tsunami. Kajian ini adalah untuk menganalisis potensi dan memetakan kawasan risiko tsunami di kawasan persisiran pantai barat Semenanjung Malaysia. Analisis potensi bahaya tsunami bagi penduduk di pantai barat Semenanjung Malaysia khususnya di Kota Kuala Muda, Kedah dilaksanakan menggunakan perisian Tsunami Display Program untuk memodelkan mekanisme pembentukan tsunami, perambatan gelombang dan tahap limpahan tsunami. Seterusnya bagi mengenal pasti risiko iaitu tahap kerentanan sesuatu kawasan terhadap bahaya tsunami, teknologi georuang diaplikasikan untuk menganalisis lokasi kawasan yang berbahaya dan selamat dengan mengambil kira faktor-faktor seperti guna tanah, jarak kawasan daripada persisiran pantai dan permukaan topografi atau kecerunan serta tinggi sesuatu kawasan. Fungsi tindihan lapisan dan pengelasan dalam teknologi georuang digunakan untuk mengelaskan kawasan kepada zon sangat bahaya, zon bahaya, zon sederhana dan zon selamat sekiranya berlaku tsunami. Hasil kajian ini mengenal pasti kawasan berpotensi terjejas selepas bencana iaitu Kampung Kuala Sungai Muda, Kampung Masjid, Kampung Kepala Jalan dan Kampung Padang Salin (Kampung Hujong Permatang) dengan purata jarak daripada garisan pantai kurang daripada 400 m serta peta kawasan berisiko berpandukan tahap kerentanan bencana tsunami di Kota Kuala Muda, Kedah. Sumbangan daripada kajian ini diharap dapat membantu pihak berkenaan dalam urusan persediaan, perancangan dan mitigasi bencana tsunami pada masa akan datang