The Threat of Tsunamis in Bali

(1/15/2005)

Although untouched by the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004, Bali nonethless faces the potential threat of being swamped by a future Tsunami. That's the opinion of Professor Dr. Yasuhiro Sugimoro, the Director of the Centre for Remote Sensing and Ocean Sciences (CReSOS), who spoke at a conference held at Bali's Bukit Jimbaran University on Tuesday, January 11, 2005.

Speaking at a Workshop on the Possibility of Tsunami in Bali and Disaster Prevention, Professor Sugimoro said that while it is impossible to know where and when a tsunami will occur, Bali's proximity to a number of geological fault lines where major tectonic plates meet mean the island will always be subject to the threat or earthquakes and tsunamis.

Citing historical evidence of past tsunami activity in Bali, the Professor encouraged the introduction of early warning systems and the planting of mangrove forests in the exposed areas of Sanur, Benoa and Nusa Dua. Mangroves have proven themselves an effective buffer against tidal wave damage.