What Coastal Areas in Indonesia are Most at Risk? List of Indonesia’s Disaster-Prone Regions

Indonesia is one of the biggest economies in Southeast Asia. However, its location, environmental conditions, and urban development make this country prone to various hydrologic disasters. The risks of those hazards increase in coastal regions. What coastal areas in Indonesia are most at risk?

Considering those hydrologic disasters, the Indonesian government must have an excellent disaster risk reduction plan. This plan allows the government to minimize the negative effects of those hazards. Therefore, hydrologic disasters will not cause the country to suffer significant loss of life or economic losses.

What Coastal Areas in Indonesia are Most at Risk?

Some coastal areas in Indonesia are undergoing severe land subsidence and coastal erosion. These phenomenon makes those regions prone to coastal flooding. On the other hand, many coastal regions are vulnerable to tsunamis because they lie near tectonic plates.

Below are Indonesian coastal regions with high natural disaster risks.

1. Jakarta

One of the coastal cities in Indonesia that is most at risk of flooding is Jakarta. Each year, during the rainy season, this region experiences flash and coastal floods several times. Jakarta’s flooding is due to many factors, including severe land subsidence and a poor drainage system.

Topographic factors also increase Jakarta’s flood risks. This city is the home of the downstream of several rivers.  Therefore, rivers in this region will overflow when heavy rains fall on the upstream. Urbanization also worsens this disaster because it cuts water-absorbing areas.

2. West Coast of Sumatra

The west coast of Sumatra is vulnerable to tsunamis. This area is prone to tsunamis because it sits on active tectonic plates, i.e., Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates. Their tectonic movements are sometimes powerful enough to cause a large displacement of seawater.

Throughout history, powerful tsunamis have swept many coastal regions in western Sumatra. Some of those areas are Aceh, Nias, and Bengkulu. Those tsunamis caused great damage to those areas. In Aceh, the 2004 tsunami killed over 170,000 people.

3. Semarang

Semarang has a similar problem to Jakarta. Several rivers flow through this low-lying city into the sea. They may suddenly inundate the city when heavy rain pours on the upstream. 

Moreover, the river overflow is more severe nowadays. Urban development and a poor drainage system make it hard for the city to control floodwater. Extreme land subsidence also makes Semarang vulnerable to coastal flooding caused by high tides. 

4. South Coast of Java

What coastal areas in Indonesia are most at risk? Many coastal regions in southern Java have a high tsunami risk. The government agency has stated that there is a potential megathrust earthquake in the Indian Ocean near Java. 

The magnitude of this earthquake will be between 8 and 9 on the Richter Scale. Moreover, this hazard may trigger a destructive tsunami of at least 10 m tall on the southern coast of Java.

5. Bali

Coastal regions in Bali are vulnerable to tsunamis and tidal floods. The tsunami risk arises because this island sits near an active subduction zone. On the other hand, tidal flood risks increase due to coastal erosion. 

Some experts believe that the worst Indonesia coastal erosion occurs in Kuta and Bali’s southern coast. This condition caused the region to lose mangrove forests, the island’s natural protectors from high tides. 

6. Nusa Tenggara

Coastal areas in Nusa Tenggara are prone to various hydrologic hazards. The northern and southern coasts of Nusa Tenggara are vulnerable to tsunamis. Moreover, some coastal regions in East Nusa Tenggara are prone to landslides.

Islands in Nusa Tenggara tend to have drier weather than Java Island. However, during a transition system, heavy rains and windstorms occur in those islands. Consequently, many coastal areas in Nusa Tenggara have high flood risks.

7. West Coast of Sulawesi

The west coast of Sulawesi has high earthquake and tsunami risks. In the 21^st century, this region has recorded two powerful earthquakes. The first one hit Palu and Donggala at a magnitude of 7.4 and triggered a 7-m tsunami in 2018.

The second destructive earthquake struck Mamuju and Majene at a magnitude of 6.2 in 2021. This shallow earthquake killed hundreds of people and damaged infrastructure and residential buildings in these coastal cities.  

8. North Coast of Papua

Another Indonesian coastal region with high tsunami risks is the north coast of Papua. Tsunamis that hit this area may come from local and distant earthquakes.

Moreover, the north coast of Papua is also vulnerable to rob floods. The risk of coastal flooding in this region increases due to various factors, including the full moon, perigee phenomenon, river sedimentation, and sea level rise.

What coastal areas in Indonesia are most at risk? Many seaside regions in this country are prone to natural disasters, such as flooding and tsunamis. Therefore, the Indonesian government needs an effective and efficient early warning system. To create such a system, the government can purchase cell broadcast technology from smsbroadcaster.com.