Banda Aceh, August 6, 2025 – The Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) of Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) held the 35th TDMRC Seminar Series titled “Insights on Regional Climate-Induced Flood Risk: Case Studies of Indonesia and Malaysia.” The event, held on Wednesday (6/8) in Banda Aceh, serves as a strategic platform for scientific exchange and regional collaboration in tackling escalating climate-driven flood risks.
The seminar featured two prominent speakers:
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Prof. Dr. Ir. Ella Meilianda, S.T., M.T., IPU, Coordinator of the Disaster Risk Management Division, TDMRC-USK (Indonesia), and
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Dr. Khamarrul Azahari Razak, Director of the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Center (DPPC), MJIIT–Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).
Prof. Ella Meilianda presented her scientific assessment of two high-risk coastal areas in Aceh: Singkil and Trumon. Her study revealed that recurrent flooding in these regions is caused not only by riverine and coastal processes (fluvial, pluvial, and tidal/rob) but also by extensive peatland reclamation and resulting land subsidence, averaging 5.42 cm per year. Using an integrated approach that combines remote sensing, Digital Elevation Models (DEM), and hydrodynamic modeling via GeoHECRAS, her team simulated flood scenarios with return periods from 2 to 50 years. The worst-case scenario projects flood inundation covering up to 866 km² with depths exceeding 5 meters and water retention lasting up to 15 days.
Meanwhile, Dr. Khamarrul Razak highlighted systemic flood challenges in Malaysia. According to World Bank 2024, Malaysia ranks 12th globally in terms of flood frequency but only 78th in average annual economic loss indicating a gap in adaptive capacity. He emphasized the need for risk-informed investment, introducing Malaysia’s Integrated Flood Resilience Framework, which incorporates AI-based flood risk prediction, community participation indices, and nature-based solutions (NbS) to support decision-making in flood-prone cities such as Kuala Lumpur and George Town. 
The seminar was moderated by Dr. Sylvia Agustina, S.T., MUP, a researcher at TDMRC’s Tsunami Division and faculty member of the Urban and Regional Planning Program at USK. She skillfully facilitated the session, encouraging active dialogue between speakers and participants and fostering discussion across disciplines.
Attended by over 60 participants both on-site and online, the hybrid-format seminar aimed to:
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Enhance data-driven understanding of flood risks in Southeast Asia,
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Facilitate scientific and policy dialogue across borders,
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Promote joint initiatives in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate adaptation,
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Develop actionable policy recommendations and regional cooperation strategies.
The seminar also reaffirmed the importance of transdisciplinary collaboration between academia, policymakers, disaster practitioners, and community-based organizations in building resilience across Southeast Asia.
In his opening address, Prof. Dr. Syamsidik, S.T., M.Sc., Director of TDMRC, emphasized the symbolic importance of holding this seminar 21 years after the Indian Ocean tsunami:
“We must transform the painful memory of the tsunami into a catalyst for stronger preparedness. Science, data, and regional solidarity are our tools to build a safer future.”
