Tsunami modelling and hazard, risk assessment

A series of tsunami risk maps were created for the coastal settlements of Muscat and Salalah, with the aim of improving tsunami response. We find Muscat to be at far greater risk of tsunami damage than Salalah; this is due in part to Muscat's proximity to potential tsunamigenic sources and the cities current level of urban infrastructure. Whilst much of the infrastructure in Salalah is currently at low risk from tsunami, development pressures could lead to increased risk within the region. It is hoped that the assessment of risk may go some way to a government led disaster risk reduction strategy being implemented in coastal Oman. The methods detailed provide a cheap and efficient means to quantify tsunami risk in many coastal Middle Eastern countries, of which several have poor disaster risk reduction strategies.