The East Sea surrounded by Korea, Japan and Russia is one of the most vulnerable places to unexpected tsunami attacks in the world. A number of tsunamis have occurred during last decades in the region. By using a numerical model based on the shallow-water theory, tsunami run-up heights along the Eastern Coast of Korea are computed for the 1983 Central East Sea Tsunami. Computed run-up heights are compared with field observations. The tsunami run-up process at Imwon Port where severe damages occurred by the 1983 Central East Sea Tsunami is first simulated with a high accuracy. At Imwon, a tsunami hazard map will then be developed based on the numerical predictions and field survey of historical tsunami events.
Tsunamis are long-period oceanic waves generated by underwater earthquakes, submarine or subaerial landslides or volcanic eruptions. They are among the most huge nature disasters which have become the biggest killer for communities in coastal areas in the last decade. The large scale of tsunami disaster hazard is accompanied by vulnerability of social condition, infrastructures, economics and policies as the effect of complexity and its fast growth. It is important to prepare a plan for preventing or reducing damage of unexpected tsunami. The most representative plan for tsunami hazard mitigation is EAP (Emergency Action Plan). EAP describes the initial responsibilities and action to be taken to protect all humans in the event of natural disaster. The Eastern Coast of Korea is very vulnerable to tsunami attacks because of the large amount of tsunami energy concentration caused by the topographic condition of the region (Lee et al., 1997). This paper will develop a hazard map for more effective and economic mitigation from tsunami attacks based on the field survey and numerical prediction to the case of the 1983 Central East Sea Tsunami.
