Ambon – A group of surveyors from Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research (TDMRC) of Universitas Syiah Kuala led by Prof. Syamsidik (also Director of TDMRC USK) have successfully produced a high resolution image of bathymetry of the Ambon Bay. The survey was conducted between September 5 until September 15, 2025 covering around 30 square km (3,000 ha) area of the Ambon Bay. The survey process was also supported by Universitas Pattimura, International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) of Tohoku University, Kyoto University, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).
The surveyors were Teuku Andri Renaldi, Muhammad Zawil Kiram, Haddad Rahmat, and Shahibul Mighvar. All of them are research assisstants at TDMRC USK. Universitas Pattimura sent Dr. Ferad Puturuhu and Pieldre Nanlohy, M.Sc to join the bathymetry campaign.
Figure 1. The surveyor team during the survey in Ambon Bay.
The survey process was fully funded by Science and Technology Partnerships- Building Sustainable System for Resilience and Inovation in Coastal Community (SATREPS BRICC) JICA 2025. The SATREPS BRICC Project is led by Prof. Nobuhito Mori from Kyoto University and Dr. Muhammad Farid from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB).
During the survey, two main equipment/sensors were used. They are 125 kHz GeoSWATH 4R Multi Beam Echosounder for measuring the bathymetry until ~200 deep and the Innomar Sub Bottom Profiler to scan sediment profile up to ~50 m from the seabed. The bathymetry produced in this survey was based on 6 mm range resolution. The objectives of the survey were to identify potential and historical landslide tsunami sources inside the Ambon bay and to see the sediment layers at area shallower than 200 m deep. The team was also supervised by Prof. Anawat Suppasri and Dr. Constance Chua from IRIDeS, Dr. Rina Suryani Oktari from TDMRC USK, Mr. Shin Kozato and Ms. Haifa Aliya from JICA.
Figure 2. (a) the team was lowering sub-bottom profiler, (b) a team member was lowering down the Multibeam Echosounder, (c) the team was setting up the sensors to face down to the seabead, (d) the team kept monitoring through two computers to make sure all sensors work properly.
The first high resolution image can be seen in Figure 3.The image could show that the inner bay part is much shallower than the outer bay. Therefore, the inner bay would have a low possibility of landslide tsunami. While between the Merah Putih Bridge to the south-western direction of the bay, the bathymetry slopes are significantly steep. Therefore, a further investigation of the outer bay area starts from the Merah Putih Bridge until the most southwestern surveyed area. Some watermarks have been put onto the image. Further uses of the image should receive a permission from TDMRC USK-Prof. Syamsidik/IRIDeS-Prof. Anawat Suppasri.
This was the second time TDMRC USK conducted the detailed bathymetric survey far away from its office in Banda Aceh after the first time it conducted a similar bathymetry survey inside the Palu Bay of Central Sulawesi. The Palu Bay survey was conducted in 2024, please find here: https://tdmrc.usk.ac.id/2024/10/07/tdmrc-conducted-bathymetric-survey-campaign-along-the-palu-bay-of-central-sulawesi/
Figure 3. A high resolution image from the final bathymetry survey inside the Ambon Bay surveyed between September 5-15, 2025. The image was overlayed onto Google Earth image. All further uses of the image require a formal permission from TDMRC USK/IRIDeS of Tohoku University.
As a follow-up after the Ambon survey, the SATREPS BRICC researchers will analyze and conduct landslide-tsunami numerical simulations. First, the team will be focusing on suspected sources of the 1950 Tsunami that hit Galala and Hative Kecil villages at the southern part of the Ambon Bay. On September 12, 2025, the team also had an opportunity to report this survey directly to the Mayor of Ambon, Drs. Bodewin M Wattimena during a Focus Group Discussion at the Hotel Santika Premiere in Ambon. Last year, the SATREPS Team visited some of the areas. The report can be found here: Ambon Visit 2024.
Prof. Syamsidik, as the Director of TDMRC, explained that this survey will be another milestone to TDMRC USK in delivering its technical skills to support the Government and the People of Ambon in understanding tsunami risks as mandated by the Sendai Frameworks for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially Goal No. 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities),14 (life below water), and 17 (Partnership for the Goals).
Get in touch with us:
– Twitter: https://x.com/tdmrc
– LinkedIn: https://id.linkedin.com/company/tsunami-and-disaster-mitigation-research-center-tdmrc
– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tdmrc.usk
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tdmrcmedia1966
