Uncovering unnoticed small-scale tsunamis: field survey in Lombok, Indonesia, following the 2018 earthquakes

Abstract

In 2018, Lombok island, Indonesia, was hit by a series of destructive earthquakes that caused thousands of casualties and widespread material damage. In response to those events, a field survey was conducted along the coast of Lombok aiming at collecting data about disaster preparedness and awareness of local inhabitants regarding natural disasters, with a focus on tsunami events. During the survey, the authors interviewed witnesses of small tsunami waves that were generated by the 2018 earthquakes. The work described here encompasses the authors’ field observations, which helped ascertain the occurrence of small-scale tsunamis, and the analysis of data collected via unstructured interviews and a limited questionnaire survey. Attention is drawn to the potential value added by recording small-scale tsunamis for future research, and some insights into what priorities should be set for future disaster risk management in Lombok are provided. The authors suggest that improvements in disaster awareness and education of residents, flood-proofing of houses that are bound to be reconstructed after the earthquakes, and investment in a fully modern flood warning system would be beneficial.