Abstract:

 The Arabian Gulf region is considered one of the most vulnerable areas to the negative effects of the climatic and tsunami fluctuations in urban, environmental and economic areas where the coastal relief reduces these impacts. The Qatari coastal relief is characterized by having flat, low-rise coastal plains, which contain some bays, khors, marshes and meanders along the coast which are considered helping factors for the tidal waves and tsunamis to flow. The architectural, industrial and petroleum areas, water desalination stations and the infrastructure spread along the low-rise coast plains which lack the natural features that resist the flow of tidal waves and tsunamis, which could lead to catastrophic events on infrastructure, construction and petroleum in case the flow of the high waves or mid-rise tidal tsunami, leading to instability in the region on a large scale. It was found that about a 13% of Qatar’s area will be affected by tidal waves and the medium height (5 m) tsunami especially in the northern and eastern parts of Qatar peninsula. We have accomplished the morphological maps that illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of the coastal relief of Qatar in the face of the flow of tidal waves and tsunamis.

Keywords: coastal relief, tidal waves, tsunami, Arabian Gulf, Qatar