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4.8.1 Early Warning Systems: World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR), Kobe, Japan - Conference Results
The Executive Secretary introduced this item. He recalled that the devastating earthquake and tsunami of 26 December 2004 had killed over 200,000 people and caused huge destruction in several countries around the Indian Ocean basin. He noted that Member States in the region had acted quickly to start the process to establish a tsunami warning and mitigation system for the Indian Ocean region to ensure that people would never again be caught unprepared for this rare but high-impact disaster.
He informed the Assembly that UNESCO/IOC had been requested to lead the process of establishing an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWS) on several occasions, such as the Special ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting (Jakarta, 6 January 2005), the UN Conference on Small Island Developing States (Port Louis, 14 January 2005), the UN General Assembly (New York, 19 January 2005) by Resolution 59/279, the Common Statement of the Special Session on Indian Ocean Disaster and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015, both adopted at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (Kobe, 22 January 2005), the Ministerial Declaration in Phuket (29 January 2005), the GEO Communiqué (Brussels, 16 February 2005), and several technical meetings held in China, India and Indonesia.
To enable the IOC to address this request, the IOC Secretariat had submitted, with UN/ISDR, a joint proposal to UN/OCHA within the framework of the Tsunami Flash Appeal (6 January 2005). In this proposal an amount of US$ 3.5 million was requested for the establishment, by IOC, of the early-warning component of the IOTWS. The proposal was approved and the activities started in March 2005. The activities included in the project are: (i) organization of two coordination meetings to address the governance of the IOTWS; (ii) the implementation of national assessment missions to identify existing and necessary capacity for the establishment and operation of a national tsunami warning and mitigation system (within a multi-hazard framework); (iii) support of national tsunami awareness promotion; (iv) upgrading and expansion of the existing GLOSS sea-level network to enable tsunami detection; and (v) start-up of technical tsunami training.
The Executive Secretary informed the Assembly that an “International Coordination Meeting for the Development of a Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System for the Indian Ocean within a Global Framework” had been held in UNESCO Headquarters, 3-8 March 2005. The Meeting was attended by nearly 300 participants from 21 Indian Ocean region countries, 25 other IOC Member States, 24 organizations and 16 observers. The Meeting ensured that Indian Ocean Member States were fully informed, at the technical level, on tsunami warning and mitigation programmes at the national, regional and global levels. The Meeting adopted a communiqué that provided guidance to all partners regarding the required actions that will lead towards the establishment of an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System. The Meeting stressed that the regional system would be a coordinated network of national systems; the warnings would be the responsibility of each participating country; and the effective operation of the regional system would require sharing of relevant observational data. The Meeting also recommended the establishment of an “Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS)" and drafted Terms of Reference for the Group.
It was further agreed by the Meeting, while a full system was being developed, to establish an “interim” system that would provide tsunami information advisories. This service was provided as from the 1 April 2005, consisting of a network of National Tsunami Focal Points receiving advisory information on tsunamis from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). This solution is being further enhanced with a US$ 0.5 million project component to install and/or upgrade sea-level gauges in affected countries, to cover the immediate sea-level observation gaps in the Indian Ocean. The Executive Secretary reported that five sea-level gauges were now transmitting in near real-time from the Indian Ocean basin.
The “Second International Coordination Meeting for the Development of a Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System for the Indian Ocean” (Grand Baie, Mauritius, 14-16 April 2005) was attended by nearly 192 participants from 24 countries in the Indian Ocean region, 9 other IOC Member States, 12 organizations, and 27 observers. The Meeting noted progress reports by the participating Member States, approved the work plan prepared by the IOC Secretariat and adopted the Mauritius Declaration strengthening the Paris consensus. Several donors pledged financial support, amounting to approximately US$ 5 million, including Belgium, Germany, Italy and Norway. Several others, including Australia, France, Japan, Germany, the United States of America, as well as the European Commission, also indicated their continuing support and their willingness to provide more financial aid as the plans for the system became more clearly defined.
The Mauritius Declaration called for countries to assess requirements and capacity-building needs by July 2005, followed by the development of national strategic plans.
As from the end of May, IOC has started the implementation of national assessment missions, in response to requests received from 19 countries in the region. The objectives of these missions are to: (i) inform national stakeholders of the requirements (organizational, infrastructural and human resources) for the establishment and operation of a tsunami warning and mitigation system; (ii) assess the available resources; (iii) promote the establishment of national coordination committees involving the widest possible range of stakeholders; and (iv) identify capacity-building needs.
The Executive Secretary recalled that the development of the IOTWS has been approached in an inter-agency and complementary fashion. This has been addressed by IOC through its close collaboration and partnership with WMO, ISDR and the IFRC, for the assessment missions, for example. Prior to and during the assessment missions, close relations have been established with UNDP, USAID, UN/OCHA and others.
In terms of future actions, an additional 20 sea-level stations will be put in place or upgraded by October 2005. This would include the installation of seven new gauges (for India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand) and the upgrading of 11 existing gauges (in Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, Tanzania, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and UK).
The Executive Secretary noted that IOC’s response to the 26 December 2004 tsunami had been swift and a tsunami team had been created within the Secretariat very early on. This team included Mr Peter Pissierssens (Ocean Services), Mr Bernardo Aliaga (ADG Office), Mr Keith Alverson (GPO), Mr Thorkild Aarup (GPO) and Ms Laura Kong (ITIC, Hawai). In addition, France had kindly made Mr François Schindelé (Chair ITSU) available as a technical expert for a period of 6 months (February-July 2005) and Japan had provided significant time from the head of the tsunami unit of JMA, Mr Masahiro Yamamoto. This team had been able to rapidly respond to the considerable demand on UNESCO and its IOC while maintaining other IOC priority activities in 2005.
Mr Salvano Briceño, Director of the UN/ISDR Secretariat in Geneva, expressed his appreciation to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) for inviting the ISDR to the 23rd Session of its Assembly. He reported that a UN Flash Appeal is currently being coordinated by the ISDR’s Platform for the Promotion of Early Warning, with the core technical leadership provided by the IOC. Support received so far amounts to about US$ 11,000,000. The Flash Appeal project is aimed at developing and strengthening early-warning capacity in the countries affected by the tsunami, as part of a needs-based approach, particularly to support the work of IOC, but also that of WMO, OCHA, ESCAP, UNDP, UNEP, UNU, the Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC), the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) and other partner organizations.
Mr Briceño also stressed the importance of risk reduction as a central theme of the intergovernmental agreement, the Hyogo Framework for Action, 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities, adopted in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR). In this context, Mr Briceño reaffirmed the ISDR Secretariat’s commitment to this process and in particular to the efforts of the IOC and UNESCO in the critical task of reducing tsunami risks.
Australia informed the Assembly that it had decided to establish an Australian Tsunami Warning System that will cover the Indian and Pacific Ocean coasts of Australia. The system will consist of a single centre with sites in Melbourne and Canberra which will receive and analyse data, provide tsunami advice and provide tsunami warnings within 30 minutes of a tsunamigenic event. Australia is upgrading or putting in place real-time oceanographic and seismic observation systems along the southern stretch of the Sunda Trench, as well as throughout the southwest Pacific. An additional amount of AU$ 68.9 million has been allocated to develop the Australian Tsunami Warning System. The Australian Government is strongly committed to the development of tsunami warning capability, as well as to share relevant data with other Indian Ocean countries, and will make available AU$ 500,000/year for regional tsunami related training. Australia further offered to host the Secretariat for the IOTWS in Perth, located at the existing IOC Perth Regional Programme Office, as well as the first Session of the ICG/IOTWS. Australia recommended that the 2nd Session of the Group be organized before the end of the year to consider further capacity-building needs.
Indonesia informed the Assembly that it has developed a master plan for the Indonesian end-to-end tsunami warning system. The system will involve seismic and 80 tide gauges. This is being implemented through cooperation with, China, France, Germany and Japan. In addition to the technical components of the system, public awareness and preparedness activities will also be undertaken.
India has a strong commitment to the development of the IOTWS. It has allocated US$ 30 million to the development of its national tsunami warning system. The system will cover both tsunamigenic areas that affect the Indian Ocean, Sumatra and Makran. The planned activities will, in terms of observation systems, include (i) a network of land-based seismic stations for earthquake detection and estimation of focal parameters in tsunamigenic zones; (ii) indigenous development of a deep-ocean assessment and reporting system; (iii) setting up a network of 50 automatic tide gauges; (iv) enhancement of upper-ocean and surface ocean meteorological observations; and (v) setting up coastal observing radars and current-meter moorings. It will also include modelling (tsunamis, storm surges, coastal vulnerability), creation of high-resolution bathymetry, inundation mapping, development of a decision-support system, setting up a dedicated Early Warning Centre for Tsunami and Storm Surge. These activities will be accompanied by relevant research and development in seismology, ocean sciences and related capacity-building, training and education. India offered to host the Second Session of the ICG/IOTWS, recommended by Australia, in Hyderabad, India. India expressed some reservations on paragraph 12 of Resolution IOC-XXIII(4.8.1). India however accepted the consensus, while formally withdrawing its name from the list of co-sponsors for the Resolution.
The Islamic Republic of Iran informed the Assembly that it is collaborating with India and Pakistan in the development of a sub-regional tsunami warning system for the Makran region. An Iranian national tsunami-warning committee and centre have been established.
Japan informed the Asssembly that it has contributed to the process of establishing the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System and that the Japan meteorological Agency (JMA) has provided interim tsunami advisory information since March 2005 and actually issued the tsunami alert information to twenty five countries. Japan also pointed out the important role of an earthquake observation network to provide necessary information for tsunami early warning and mitigation, and committed its contribution in this field.
The Republic of Korea has undertaken simulated preparedness drills to evaluate its tsunami warning and notification system, involving all stakeholders in the national system and assessing the promptness and completeness of the messages sent and received. Korea offered to share its expertise and experience in this regard with the Indian Ocean countries.
Kenya expressed its appreciation of the national assessment mission that visited Kenya recently and also strongly welcomed the fact that the mission had been able to meet Somalian officials. Kenya recommends strengthening regional collaboration in the East African region in tsunami and other natural-disaster management, and offered Kenya’s assistance in coordinating such cooperation.
Mauritius informed the Assembly that through bilateral cooperation with India, it will develop tsunami inundation maps and build national capacity in this regard. Mauritius urges donors not to lose sight of the smaller countries in the region, as well as those in the East Africa region. It has also requested that some of the remaining relief funds be utilized for investment in disaster-reduction and awareness-raising. Mauritius also stresses the importance of taking into account traditional (indigenous) knowledge relative to natural disasters.
Thailand announced that the National Disaster Warning Centre of Thailand (NDWC) had been officially opened on 30 May 2005. The Centre has the capability to receive and analyse real-time multi-hazard observational data, and to issue warnings through various means, including a number of warning towers in risk areas, real-time media channels and through SMS to over 20 million mobile phones in Thailand. A tsunami evacuation drill had been organized on 29 April 2005 for residents and foreign tourists in high-risk areas, especially along the Andaman coast. Thailand has been cooperating with the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) in establishing partnerships with stakeholders in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian regions to set up regional tsunami warning arrangements in the region. Support was received by ADPC from a number of countries (Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam) in this regard. ADPC will establish and install a distributed network of monitoring stations and a data-communication system in the region. Thailand initiated the Multi-Donor Voluntary Trust Fund for Tsunami Early Warning Arrangements in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, to which Thailand pledged US$ 10 million as seed money. Thailand will host, on 26 December 2005, a memorial event for the victims of the tsunami disaster.
South Africa informed the Assembly that the establishment of the IOTWS is a high priority issue in South Africa. Within the framework of NEPAD, South Africa offered its expertise in geosciences, disaster management and response, and in other relevant disciplines, especially to African coastal countries.
Norway reminded the Assembly of its pledge, at the second Coordination meeting for the Development of Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System for the Indian Ocean, of US$ 2 million to the IOTWS effort. Agreement had now been reached that these funds will be provided for the following purposes: (i) to assist the IOC Secretariat in its coordinating role; (ii) to strengthen and expand the sea-level observation network; and (iii) to assist individual countries especially developing ones, that have specific needs.
Italy informed the Assembly that it had committed financial support of US$ 1.2 million to: (i) collect high-resolution bathymetric data; (ii) prepare inundation maps; and (iii) assist with capacity-building.
Canada announced that, through the Canadian International Development Agency, it will invest Canadian $1 million in support of the development of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System; this includes a contribution of Canadian $ 500,000 in response to the UN Flash Appeal for the fast-track implementation of a tsunami warning and mitigation system for the Indian Ocean, and an additional investment of up to Canadian $ 500,000 for bilateral tsunami warning system capacity development with a developing nation in the region. In addition, Canada will be providing a Canadian $ 25,000 voluntary contribution to the IOC Trust Fund to assist the Commission in the effective provision of services by the ICG/ITSU.
The United States of America welcomed the proposal to establish the ICG/IOTWS, offered its national tsunami warning and mitigation expertise and encouraged interoperability between the planned IOTWS and other national (such as the USA’s) and regional (such as ITSU) systems.
Germany reported that the automatic Indonesian-German seismic system was installed on 9 June 2005, is now operational and started delivering real-time seismic data and information to the Centre in Jakarta. It is envisaged to install as a next step the first seafloor- equipment and two buoys in Indonesian waters early in October 2005 using Germany’s Research Vessel “SONNE”. To further support UNESCO/IOC, and in agreement with the Indonesian partners, it is planned to strengthen UNESCO’s Regional Office in Jakarta and the UNESCO/IOC Secretariat, through the provision of two German experts. Germany also co-operates with Sri Lanka in the field of hydrography and oceanography and has already provided hydrographic and oceanographic equipment. Under the GLOSS Programme, Germany will soon install two tide gauges.
France announced that it will undertake a bathymetric survey with the RV “Marion Dufresne” in Indonesian waters. In addition, a study on the generation, propagation, and magnitude of tsunamis will be implemented, covering the ocean part of the Indian Ocean region. The National Centre of La Réunion will be reinforced and will be given a sub-regional role. This will include the upgrading of seismic stations in Djibouti, Hyderabad, Canberra and La Réunion, and the deployment of a seismic stations and a sea-level gauge in Madagascar. France will also provide experts for the national assessment missions organized by IOC, WMO and ISDR. France will also contribute to raising public awareness through the re-editing and re-printing of the book “Great Waves” in French. The total support for the above-mentioned activities will amount to € 1.5 million and will complement bilateral actions that were started after the 26 December 2004 tsunami, such as cooperation with Indonesia on the coastal zone impact of the tsunami, the equipment of a maritime meteorological warning station, and support to civil defence stations and public education. These bilateral support actions amount to over € 6 million. Similar actions are being planned with Sri Lanka and Seychelles.
Belgium informed the Assembly that the Government of Flanders contributes to the IOTWS development through the ODINAFRICA Project which involves the upgrading or deployment of sea-level gauges along the African coast. The Government of Flanders will also provide € 500,000/year for a period of five years to fund training activities at the IOC project office for IODE (Ostend, Belgium) related to oceanographic data management as well as tsunami related training. These funds could be used for participants from the Indian Ocean region, as well as from other developing regions.
The Representative of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) briefly informed the Assembly of his Organization’s activities related to tsunamis. These include: (i) the use of the worldwide navigational warning service to broadcast tsunami warnings; (ii) a special session during the 3rd Extraordinary International Hydrographic Conference (Monaco, April 2005) to discuss possible assistance to the affected countries. He noted that elements of future collaboration with UNESCO/IOC could include bathymetry and improved use of maritime warning systems to broadcast tsunami warnings.
The Representative of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) informed the Assembly that his Organization is working closely and effectively with IOC and ISDR on the establishment of the IOTWS. He informed the Assembly that WMO has initiated the following project activities: (i) the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) will be upgraded, where needed, to address requirements of tsunami-related data communication; (ii) WMO will assist in the development or enhancement of multi-hazard early warning systems of the national Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) to support 24/7 dissemination of tsunami warnings, and to raise public awareness through the development of their educational and public outreach programmes; (iii) WMO will collaborate with UNESCO/IOC on further developing tsunami related educational tools, materials, building upon the existing IOC tsunami related materials, for the use of the NMHSs; and (iv) through its Plan of Action for the coordination of space systems, WMO will contribute to multi-hazard early warning systems. WMO is participating in the national assessment missions, coordinated by UNESCO/IOC, and is also implementing specific national missions related to the improvement of the GTS in Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Myanmar, Seychelles, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Yemen.
The Representative of WAPMERR informed the Assembly that her Organization is starting the implementation of a regional Pilot Project for the creation of an expert system for tsunami hazard assessment and risk modelling in the SEAGOOS area. A regional office will be established for this project in Bangkok. The system will include historical databases, tsunami modelling, hazard assessment and risk calculation tools and will be applicable at the national and regional levels. The project products and experience will be shared with SEAGOOS members during workshops planned by WAPMERR.
The Assembly expressed its gratitude to the Japan Meteorological Agency and the USA’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center for providing the interim tsunami advisory information service to the region and invited these agencies to continue this valuable service.
The Assembly noted with appreciation the strong commitment of governments in the Indian Ocean region to establish national systems within a regional IOC-coordinated framework.
The Assembly expressed its appreciation for, and endorsed, the activities and initiatives undertaken by the IOC Secretariat in response to the 26 December 2004 tsunami.
The Assembly welcomed and strongly supported the leading role accorded to the IOC by the international community in the development of the IOTWS and called on all relevant UN agencies, other organizations (including non-governmental) and donor agencies to actively collaborate with the IOC to develop the IOTWS. The Assembly thanked in particular WMO and ISDR for their ongoing and active collaboration with IOC and called on these Organizations to continue their collaboration.
The Assembly thanked the Government of Australia for its kind offer to host the Secretariat of the IOTWS and the First Session of the ICG/IOTWS in Perth, Australia, and accepted the offer.
The Assembly thanked the Government of India for offering to host the Second Session of the ICG/IOTWS in Hyderabad, India, and accepted the offer.
The Assembly thanked the many donors that have provided support for the development of the IOTWS at the bilateral level as well as to the IOC and invited them to continue this assistance until the system is well entrenched in national policies and capacities have been built at the national and regional levels in a geographically balanced fashion that can be sustained and maintained by the participating Member States.
The Assembly, with broad support, adopted Resolution XXIII-12.
4.8.2 IOC Contribution to the Establishment of a World Network of Tsunami Early-warning Centres
The Executive Secretary introduced this item. He recalled that, as early as the UN Conference on Small Island Developing States (Port Louis, 14 January 2005), countries had stressed the need to address the tsunami disaster in a global framework, and that a proposal for the establishment of a tsunami warning system had been formulated by IOCARIBE and endorsed by the Assembly in the past. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System (ITSU) does not cover the marginal seas of the Pacific, in particular the South China Sea, or the southwest Pacific region. He urged the Assembly to fill these important gaps.
The International Conference for the Development of a Tsunami and Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean Sea and Adjacent Regions (Mexico City, 1–3 June 2005) called on IOC to establish a Tsunami and Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions and an Intergovernmental Coordination Group to oversee the development of the system.
The Executive Secretary also noted that WESTPAC, at its sixth Session (Nha Trang, Viet Nam, 23–27 May 2005) considered the establishment of a tsunami warning and mitigation system for the South China Sea.
The Executive Secretary stressed the fact that tsunami risks exist in all oceans to a different degree, and that tsunamis were caused not only by earthquakes but also by volcanic eruptions, landslides, underwater slumps, etc. It was therefore appropriate to be vigilant and prepared in all regions of the world.
The Representative of UN/ISDR recalled that the UN Flash Appeal project has promoted an overall integrated framework for strengthening early-warning systems in the Indian Ocean region, primarily for tsunamis, but also recognizing the context of multiple hazards, risk management and risk reduction. He stressed that risk reduction was a keystone of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), 2005–2015, which was agreed by governments at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (Kobe, Japan, January 2005). The HFA was designed to be integrated into various sectors of governments and organizations as actual policy so that disaster-risk reduction, including through tsunami early-warning systems, will be sustainable. A multiple and multi-disciplinary approach was therefore considered inevitable. He also recalled that the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, had mentioned the urgent need for a Global Early Warning System, during the SIDS meeting in Mauritius in January this year. This was not only for the tsunami warning system but all other hazards. He reaffirmed ISDR’s support for a multi-hazard approach.
China reported that it is considering initiating a multi-hazard early warning system focusing on tsunamis and storm surges in adjacent ocean and seas, including the South China Sea. In this context, China expresse dits interest in cooperating with other countries, as well as relevant organizations to promote the development of this system under the coordination of IOC within a global framework.
Japan informed the Assembly that the Northwest Pacific Tsunami Information Centre (NWPTIC) had started to provide information to the countries in the concerned region of the Northwest Pacific Ocean from March 2005, and was currently upgrading its system to include the South China Sea and that this service would be available as from March 2006.
The United States of America recalled that, since the adoption of Resolution IV-6, in 1965, the United States of America had supported the activities of the International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC) as part of the International Tsunami Warning System in the Pacific (ITSU). The services of the ITIC, addressing all aspects of tsunami warning and mitigation, including hazard assessment, warnings, preparedness and research through a system of international cooperation and coordination of activities, are therefore more essential after the tragic events of 26 December 2004. It was therefore timely to reinvigorate this partnership and its services to the international community in the light of the IOC’s catalytic leading role in creating a global tsunami warning system, by formally creating an IOC Programme Office for the International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC). The USA therefore recommended that ITIC be re-established as a Programme Office of IOC and that formal arrangements to this effect be put to the consideration of the IOC Executive Council at its 39th Session, in 2006. Until such an arrangement was made, the USA would continue to support the ITIC under the existing structure.
Australia informed the Assembly that it would be upgrading and putting in place new observing systems relevant to monitoring tsunamis throughout the Southwest Pacific as part of a AU$12 million over four years programme, and that it would provide an amount of AU$ 2 million over four years to assist countries in the southwest Pacific to identify capacity-building needs in a multi-hazard disaster warning and mitigation framework. The activity will be implemented through cooperation with Pacific Island partners and SOPAC. This matter will also be submitted for discussion at the upcoming 20th Session of the ICG/ITSU.
Ecuador pointed out that vandalism was an important problem for buoys and constitutes a major challenge when maintaining an observation network and requested that IOC could play a role in obtaining insurance coverage for these instruments. Ecuador has considerable experience in this area which it offered to share with other Member States.
Canada informed the Assembly that it had recently completed a plan for a western Atlantic tsunami warning system, and expected this plan to be implemented in a timely fashion in collaboration with the USA. This system is being set up as a subset of an integrated all-hazards, tsunami and storm-surge warning system. Although lower than in the Pacific, there is a real risk of tsunamis in the northwest Atlantic, from submarine landslides and from other distant sources.
The Representative of SOPAC informed the Assembly that tsunamis are a significant hazard for the Pacific Islands, with many of the islands being close to tectonic-plate boundaries, hence experiencing local tsunamis relatively frequently. Few of the tsunamis are high enough to cause significant casualties or damage, however, although both Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu have suffered fatalities and severe damage in areas close to earthquake epicentres in the last ten years. Atoll islands throughout the region are vulnerable to oceanic tsunamis, but fortunately most are protected from significant impact by their fringing reefs. Besides the tsunami hazard, the region is also vulnerable to other natural hazards, such as tropical cyclones with associated storm surges, flooding and landslides, as well as drought and volcanic eruptions, with increasing numbers of social, biological and environmental hazards being added.
The Representative of SOPAC expressed her Organization’s appreciation to IOC for its exemplary effort to establish a global network of tsunami early-warning centres and recommended IOC and other partners to collaborate in the development of the southwest Pacific’s end-to-end multi-hazard warning system. The Pacific Region has been developing, through SOPAC, a Framework for Action for the period 2005–2015 entitled “An Investment for Sustainable Development in Pacific Island Countries. Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Management: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters.” Effective, integrated and people-focused early warning systems are one of the six framework principles for which clear regional and national priority initiatives have been identified and articulated. It is hoped that the framework will receive political endorsement by Pacific Leaders at the next Pacific Forum, to be convened in October 2005. SOPAC has also recently completed a baseline survey of Hazard Warning and Disaster Response Systems for Pacific Island States to identify gaps and niche areas. This was in response to a Commonwealth Secretariat request to seek advice from experts on the ways in which enhanced coordination would benefit Small Island States in mitigating the impacts of disasters through disaster warning and response systems. This information also responds to a request of the United Nations General Assembly calling on the ISDR Secretariat to conduct a survey of existing capabilities and gaps in worldwide early warning systems.
SOPAC is organizing a planning meeting in early September 2005 in Fiji to coordinate activities of partners contributing to the enhancement of an end-to-end multi-hazard early warning system for the southwest Pacific. This meeting will provide an opportunity for more detailed planning of activities between Australian organizations, Pacific Island States, SOPAC and other partners under Australia’s allocated resources to the region. In addition to this, Australia has also recently announced its intention to fund the fourth phase of the longstanding South Pacific Sea-Level and Climate Monitoring Project. The SEREAD capacity-building project implemented by PI-GOOS is currently developing a teaching module for primary and secondary schools in the Pacific Islands region on preparedness and awareness related to tsunamis and natural hazards.
The Chairman of the ICG/ITSU, Mr François Schindelé, strongly urged the Member States in all ocean and seas to establish interim systems as soon as possible. The process used in the Indian Ocean could be followed in other regions such as the Caribbean: the PTWC can send tsunami advisory information to Member States in those regions. What is needed is for these Member States to identify 24/7 interim national focal points or an organization that will be responsible for the transmission of warning messages to relevant national authorities. However, the tsunami arrival time in the Caribbean region is very short, i.e. 10–60 minutes, which will require a very dense sea-level station network to provide sufficient response time. The Chairman of the ICG/ITSU offered the expertise of the ICG/ITSU Member States to assist in the development of the new systems.
The Assembly stressed the need to avoid excessive fragmenting of IOC’s tsunami-related and observation programme activities and called for the strong coordination of all IOC observing systems and related programmes under the new MLA (Developing operational capabilities for the management and sustainable development of the open and coastal ocean).
The Assembly further instructed JCOMM to facilitate the implementation of this integrated strategy.
The Assembly noted that the 26 December 2004 tsunami had changed the geomorphology of the coasts of several Indian Ocean countries. Some of these areas, at the onset of the monsoon season, had suffered from frequent coastal flooding, thereby adding to the damage and suffering already caused by the tsunami. The Assembly called the Executive Secretary to organize, as part of the Tsunami Programme, bathymetric studies to identify areas vulnerable not only to tsunamis but also to this new challenge.
The Assembly agreed that it was important that immediate action be taken to establish a warning system and associated intergovernmental coordination group for tsunami and other coastal hazards for the Caribbean and adjacent regions.
The Assembly adopted Resolution XXIII-13.
The Assembly further agreed that it was important that immediate action be taken to establish a tsunami early warning and mitigation system and associated intergovernmental coordination group for tsunami in the North-East Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas.
The Assembly adopted Resolution XXXIII-14
The Assembly stressed the need for the IOC to address tsunami warning and mitigation in a global framework and as part of a multi-hazard approach.
The Assembly adopted Resolution IOC-XIII-15
The Assembly further recommended that the IOC conduct an urgent study of the needs for such systems in all oceans and seas, in particular the, the western Atlantic, the central eastern Atlantic, the Caspian Sea, the southwest Pacific, and the South China Sea, and agreed to implement interim systems in all these regions as soon as possible.
The Assembly decided to consider the overall governance of such additional systems during the next Session of the IOC Executive Council and instructed the Executive Secretary to coordinate the preparation of relevant draft proposals by concerned Member States
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