2.1 Coastal shoreline erosion
Damage caused by tsunami is mostly severe at shoreline where boats,
harbors, road networks, buildings, and utilities were destroyed. Besides, aquatic life,
plants, animal and human in the near shore environment may also be devastated. Multi –
date satellite data are found to be very useful to monitor a coastal shoreline changes
(Figure 2 – 4). Figure 2 shows an affected area (red boundary) of IKONOS image of
Patong beach, Phuket province. We found that the wave could reach in land area
approximately 480 meters from the shoreline. Sand beach and beach erosion at lower part
of Patong beach was enlarged and displayed the erosion as yellow vector in Figure 3.
Also, river damage and sand bank damage, large run – off and strong waves caused
erosion of river and beach bank at Kammala beach, Phuket province (Figure 4).