Overview of Some Geological Hazards in the Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The Saudi Arabia has harsh environmental conditions which enhance some geomorphologic/geological processes more than in other areas. These processes create different geological hazards. The general physiography of the Saudi Arabia is characterized by the Red Sea coastal plains and the escarpment foothills called Tihama, followed by the Arabian Shield Mountains, the Arabian Shelf plateau and finally the Arabian Gulf coastal plains. These types of geological hazards can be categorized into sand accumulations, earth subsidence and fissures, flash floods, problematic soils, slope stability problems, and karst problems. The current study gives an overview of all these hazards with examples, as well as develops a geo-hazard map for the Saudi Arabia. Our findings indicate that the desert environment needs much concern and care. National and international agencies have to join together with other people to keep the system balanced and to reduce the resulting geological hazards. Also, remedial measures should be proposed to avoid and reduce these natural hazards.

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Geological Hazards; KSA; Mapping; Coastal Plain; Environmental Conditions; Natural Hazard; Remedial Measures; Sand Accumulation; Slope-Stability Problems; International Cooperation; Landforms; Escarpment; Arabian Sea; Arabian Shield; Indian Ocean; Persian Gulf; Red Sea [Indian Ocean]; Saudi Arabia; Tihamah

Geographic Coverage

Saudi Arabia

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1866-6280

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2013 Springer Verlag, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Dec 2013

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