A Typical of Tsunami Generation Caused by Volcano Flank Collapse in Banda Neira, Maluku, Indonesia

Abstract

The history eruption of the Banda volcanoes was recorded in 1632, 1816, and 1988 and was preceded by significant earthquakes. In the eruption in 2017, there were 28 volcanic earthquakes, indicating a rock cracking process due to the movement of magma in the form of gas, liquid, and rock solids. We suspect that when the earthquake occurs, the rock-cracking process upon the eruption will potentially trigger the volcano flank to collapse into the sea and generate a tsunami in the Banda Naira and surrounding area. We contribute to modeling the travel time and tsunami inundation resulting from the flank collapse of Banda Volcano. BATNAS bathymetry data is used to run tsunami simulations. We use aerial photography from field survey data to interpret Banda Volcano failure parameters, including diameter, direction of sliding of the collapse, and slope of the collapse of the side of the Banda Volcano. Based on the tsunami simulation, the volcano flank collapse source on Banda Volcano produced a maximum tsunami in Banda Naira as high as 6.2 meters, and the tsunami will arrive around 6 – 8 minutes. While in AI Island, tsunami inundation reached 55.87 m and arrived in 4 minutes. Meanwhile, the maximum elevation of Banda Naira Island is 3.5 meters, with a population of 21,000 people in March 2024. Tsunami inundation has the potential to submerge entire residential areas in Banda Neira.