Banda Aceh Flashcards
What is this case study about?
Isostatic sea level rise caused by tectonic activity.
What caused the sea level to change?
An undersea earthquake, 9.1-9.3 Richter scale and up to IX on the Mercalli intensity.
When was the earthquake?
26 December 2004
What plates were involved?
The Burma and Indian Plate
How did this change the heights of nearby settlements?
Permanently dropped the Acehnese coastline by up to 1m and uplifted nearby islands by up to 2m.
How did this change affect locations where the sea rose?
River valleys and farm fields were drowned and a new shoreline developed by coastal processes.
Locals became more reliant on food aid due to destroyed agricultural land.
How did this change affect locations where the sea fell?
Coral reefs that protected the coastline were destroyed, leaving uplifted areas of coast vulnerable to coastal retreat.
Reefs and mangroves also used to provide habitats for fish that the locals used as food.
How is this isostatic sea level rise?
It only happened in one area of the world due to tectonic activity rather than an increase in the volume of water in the ocean.
