Assessment of coastal inundation of low lying areas due to sea level rise

Sea level rise due to climate change have a profound impact on low lying coastal zones. The objective of this study is to identify the potential of coastal inundation area due to Sea Level Rise (SLR) along of Cherating to Pekan coast. The shoreline of Pahang has been undergoing severe erosion and inundated by sea water in some locations, hence affects the socio-economy and the livelihood of the coastal communities. Numerical modelling using the MIKE 21 FM software was done to predict coastal inundation for the years 2020 and 2080 along the Cherating to Pekan shoreline by using the condition for the year 2017 as the baseline. The results of the statistical analysis of this numerical model is congruous with the measured data, such as tide, current, and wave direction. The results show that about 17 to 22% of the Cherating to Pekan shoreline is at risk of being inundated due to the projected SLR for the years 2020 and 2080. The map for projected inundation shows that the infrastructure located in the 1km buffers zone from the shoreline will be affected by the sea level rise. This information could be of benefit to all parties involved in ensuring effective coastal management and making preparation and plan to and protect the coastal areas from the potential impacts of climate change and future disasters.