On the 22nd of December 2018 the shorelines of Sunda Strait, Indonesia, were hit by tsunami waves generated by the flank collapse of the Anak Krakatau volcano. The authors conducted a field survey of the affected areas in both Sumatra and Java islands to collect information on tsunami inundation and run-up heights, damage patterns at each coastal community, and the evacuation behaviour and tsunami awareness of the affected people. The survey results showed that in Sumatra island inundation heights of more than 4 m were measured along the coastline that was situated to the north-north-east of Anak Krakatau, while less than 4 m were measured along the north-western direction. Inundation heights of over 10 m were measured at Cipenyu Beach (Pandeglang Regency) in Java island (south-south-eastern direction from Anak Krakatau). A questionnaire survey conducted by the authors revealed residents’ perception of danger and evacuation patterns during the event. The results indicate the importance of having an operational tsunami warning system in Sunda Strait and the establishment of an appropriate evacuation plan so that residents can start evacuation immediately and reach a safe place without facing severe congestion along evacuation routes.

A field survey team went to Palu City, Indonesia in the aftermath of the September 28th, 2018 earthquake and tsunami to investigate its effects on local infrastructure and buildings. The study focused on the coast of Palu Bay, where a tsunami wave between approximately 2 and 7 m high impacted the local community as a result of several complex tsunami source mechanisms. The following study outlines the results, focused on loading caused by debris entrained within the inundating flow. Damage to timber buildings along the coast was widespread, though reinforced concrete structures for the most part survived, providing valuable insights into the type of debris loads and their effects on structures. The results of this survey are placed within the context of Canadian tsunami engineering challenges and are compared to the recently-released ASCE 7 Chapter 6 – Tsunami Loads and Effects, detailing potential research gaps and needs.