Study of the Impact of Climate Change on Rob Floods in Lhokseumawe City

Abstract Lhokseumawe City, one of the cities in Aceh, is situated close to a body of water with an area of 181.06 km 2 . Being in a coastal area, the city is highly susceptible to tidal flooding. The worst tidal flood in the area occurred on 26 May 2021, causing significant damage to residential areas. This study focuses on assessing the impact of sea level rise on the extent of tidal flood inundation and its consequences for residential areas along the coast of Lhokseumawe City. The analysis utilizes numerical modeling simulation carried out with the Delft3D application, specifically Delft3D-FLOW and Delft3D-WAVE. Data is input at several stages to model the inundation, resulting in the production of images, graphs, and animations. Three scenarios are considered for the inundation modeling: existing tidal flood conditions, a 25-year scenario, and a 50-year scenario. The simulation revealed extensive inundation under all scenarios, with the existing conditions covering 402,174 m 2 , the 25-year scenario covering 579,860 m 2 , and the 50-year scenario covering 737,188 m 2 in the coastal area of Lhokseumawe City. Tidal floods, caused by extreme tidal waves, resulted in the flooding of numerous buildings along the city’s coast due to their high population density. The expanding inundation area poses a significant threat to the economy, especially to those whose livelihoods depend on the tourism sector. Serious measures are imperative to mitigate the expansion of the inundation area and its adverse economic impacts.