Landscape changes in Meuraxa sub-district of Banda Aceh: Twenty years after the 2024 Indian Ocean tsunami

Abstract

The Meuraxa sub-district of Banda Aceh was one of the areas most severely affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, experiencing widespread destruction of its natural and built environment. Over the past 20 years, the landscape of Meuraxa has undergone significant transformations due to post-tsunami recovery efforts, urbanization, and environmental restoration. This paper investigates the long-term changes in Meuraxa’s landscape, analyzing pre-tsunami conditions, the immediate impacts of the disaster, and the subsequent recovery and reconstruction initiatives. Using satellite images and field surveys, the study assesses shifts in land use, infrastructure, and socio-economic activities. Additionally, it examines the environmental challenges, such as coastal erosion and climate change. This paper utilized Object-Based Image Analysis for classifying land cover in the region based on the 2004, 2009, and 2024 satellite images and aerial photos taken from drones. Analysis of the classification results show that 20 years after the tsunami the landscape in the region has changed. Some regions have changed due to the tsunami, while other areas have changed as the result of the post-tsunami reconstruction. Twenty years after the tsunami, the area is becoming more populated even though it is still prone to tsunamis. Therefore, it is important to increase people’s awareness and preparedness of the tsunami hazard in the area.