Enhancing community tsunami evacuation planning : a case study in Pangandaran, Indonesia, using an agent-based model

Abstract

Better tsunami mitigation policies and evacuation strategies are needed to improve the preparedness of Indonesia’s communities for future tsunamis. The lack of an effective warning system and preparedness have been some of the main causes for the high number of deaths when tsunamis hit Indonesia. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate how computer simulation could help evacuees understand the risks, and how diverse decision making and behaviours during an evacuation, affect survival. The methodology includes a literature review, a case study of Pangandaran Village, Java, fieldwork, a questionnaire survey of residents, interview of residents and officials (March–April and October 2019), and computer modelling. From the data collected, an agent-based simulation platform was developed using Netlogo to visualize residents’ evacuation behaviours based on four different scenarios. The simulation was presented to residents at an online workshop (October 2020). The visualisation helped residents understand evacuation issues and how they could be improved for future tsunamis. The significance of the research is that it will be used in Indonesia by public development planners in the Indonesian national development planning agency (Bappenas).

Date of Award	2022
Original language	English
Supervisor	Hitomi NAKANISHI (Supervisor), Yogi VIDYATTAMA (Supervisor) & John Black (Supervisor)