Last week, The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) became the first country in the North Pacific to recognize communities under the UNESCO IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme. On April 23, 2024, Weno Municipality of Chuuk State and on April 26, 2024, Kolonia Town, and the municipalities of Sokehs, Kitti, Madolenihmw, U, and Nett of Pohnpei Island, Pohnpei State, became the 55th and 56th communities globally. The recognitions were facilitated by the International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC), with support from USAID. The NOAA Center for Tsunami Research (NCTR) provided hazard assessments that each State used to develop evacuation zones and response plans, conduct exercises, and hold tsunami outreach to prepare their communities.
The thirteenth annual Regional Tsunami Exercise of the UNESCO/IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Tsunamis and Other Coastal Hazards for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE-EWS), CARIBE WAVE 24, is conducted on the 21st of March 2024 at 1500 UTC to assist tsunami preparedness efforts throughout the Caribbean and adjacent regions. More than 700.000 people registered in the TsunamiZone.
Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Manager of the International Tsunami Information Center Caribbean Office (ITIC-CAR), discussing the PTWC tsunami products for the Puerto Rico Trench scenario with the analysts of the Puerto Rico Seismic Network (Credit: Kimberly Maisonet Gonzalez, ITIC-CAR contractor)
The Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas (ICG/NEAMTWS) met in Paris, France for its 18th Session on 6–8 February 2024. A key highlight was the election of new ICG/NEAMTWS officers Mr Alessandro Amato, Italy as the new ICG/NEAMTWS Chairperson and Mr Amr Hamouda (Egypt), Mr Ignacio Aguirre Ayerbe (Spain) for vice Chairpersons for the period 2024-2025. High on the agenda was the status of implementation of UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme, with Cannes (France) becoming the first recognized Tsunami Ready community in NEAM region. The meeting also hailed the finalization and publication of the ICG/NEAMTWS 2021-2030 Strategy Document as an IOC Technical Series and Brochure; the conduction of regional tsunami exercise (NEAMWave23); the new approved two-years Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG-ECHO) funded CoastWAVE Project Phase-II. The group decided to establish a new task team on non-seismic tsunamis and plan the next regional tsunami exercise in 2025.
March 11 marked the somber anniversary of the catastrophic tsunami that struck Japan in 2011, a day that forever changed the lives of thousands. Thirteen years have passed since the waves unleashed by the Great East Japan Earthquake claimed over 15,000 lives and left countless others grappling with injuries, displacement, and profound grief.
The Seventeenth Meeting of the Working Group on Tsunamis and Other Hazards related to Sea Level Warning and Mitigation Systems (TOWS-WG-XVII) concluded on February 23, 2024, in Sendai, Japan. Hosted at the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University, the meeting ran parallel to the Task Team on Disaster Management and Preparedness (TT-DMP) and the Inter-ICG Task Team on Tsunami Watch Operations (TT-TWO) meetings, sharing joint agenda items.
The Indonesian coast, between Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, after the earthquake and the tsunami of 26 December 2004. Photo by Evan Schneider © UN Photo
UNESCO supports Member States in improving capabilities for tsunami risk assessment, implementing early warning systems and enhancing preparedness of communities at risk. UNESCO works closely with national institutions and promotes inter-institutional and regional cooperation. Specialized regional centers provide tsunami information that, together with national analysis, is the basis of the warnings issued for the public. In addition, UNESCO promotes community-based approaches in the development of response plans and awareness campaigns which strongly involve education institutions and end-users.