Study on simulating monsoon-induced surges in the Southwest coastal region of Vietnam

Abstract

The Southwest region of Vietnam is subject to distinct meteorological phenomena due to its geographical location and the influence of monsoon winds and storms. While the impact of surges has been documented in this area, more comprehensive studies need to examine this phenomenon. This paper aims to address this gap by simulating water level fluctuations and surge events caused by the interplay of Southwest monsoon winds and the circulation of storms and tropical depressions in the East Sea, utilizing the ROMS2D model. The findings reveal that combining a strong Southwest monsoon and the circulation patterns of storms and tropical depressions in the East Sea can generate surges ranging from 20 to 60 cm in the Southwest coastal region of Vietnam. Notably, areas with concave coastlines experienced higher surge levels than other regions, with Kien Giang province being the most vulnerable to elevated surge levels. Furthermore, the coastal area of Rach Gia emerged as the most at-risk location, where surge levels exceeded 50 cm.