Page 19 - DIVA_No.18_2005

the population living along vulnerable coast-
lines. People are educated and prepared and
there are procedures for evacuating the popula-
tion at risk, when threatened by tsunamis. We
have the pleasure of having Dr Francois
Schindelé here. He would be happy to address
your questions related to the scientific and
technical tsunami research, monitoring and
early warnings.

WMO is joining forces with UNESCO-IOC
and other key agencies to ensure that Tsunami
Early Warning Systems will soon become a
reality in the Indian Ocean, and also in other
regions at risk.
The WMO Global
Telecommunication System (GTS) that inter-
connects the NMHSs provides tremendous
potential for timely and reliable exchange of
tsunami warning messages and related infor-
mation between the appropriate government
national to local levels; and should be allotted to proactive international, agencies. WMO GTS has the capability for
(d) Education of the public and deci- regional and national pre-disaster strategies, collection and exchange of observational data,
sion makers. particularly those relating to early warning sys- related bulletins and alerts, including seismic
tems. data. The Tsunami Warning System in the
WMO' s global observing, telecommunications Pacific already utilizes the WMO GTS for
and forecasting network, operated by the The Asian tsunami disaster has demonstrated exchange of tsunami warnings in that region.
National Meteorological and Hydrological in tragic proportions the need for the imple-
Services (NMHS5) has proved to be highly mentation of early warning system. Eighty- Beyond availability and timely dissemination
effective for providing timely early warnings five percent of all tsunamis occur in the Pacific of reliable information, a critical component of
for a variety of weather-, climate- and water- Ocean. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic an effective early warning system is to ensure
related hazards in many countries. WMO's Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC) that government authorities, risk managers and
network proved to be highly effective during established the International Coordination the public at risk can understand and utilize the
one of the most intense tropical cyclone sea- Group for the Tsunami Warning System in the information. Awareness raising on all types of
sons in the Atlantic and the Pacific regions in Pacific (ICG/ITSU) in 1968 and started devel- natural hazards thus forms an essential element
2004. Thanks to effective dissemination of oping the Tsunami Warning System in the in early warning systems, particularly where
warnings, many lives were spared through Pacific (TWSP), which has proved to be high- the warning period is short.
timely evacuations. The challenge is to ensure ly effective. This system involves a network of Therefore, education of communities at large,
that all countries, particularly the least devel- national and regional tsunami warning centres, the involvement of media and continuous
oped countries, have the systems, infrastruc- and the International Tsunami Information interaction between scientists and the decision
ture, human capacity and organizational struc- Centre (ITIC) in Honolulu, Hawaii. The sys- makers are critical.
tures to develop and utilize early warning sys- tem makes use of the hundreds of seismic sta-
tems. A lot could be achieved by deploying tions throughout the world as well as a network Early warnings systems do exist for many nat-
resources to strengthen pre-disaster systems of sea-level gauges utilized for monitoring and ural hazards. WMO is committed to work with
for early warnings. It has been shown that a detecting the passing tsunami wave. The sci- its partners at international, regional and
dollar spent on disaster preparedness can pre- entists analyze these data to evaluate the tsuna- national levels to improve these systems fur-
vent seven dollars in disaster-related losses. A mi-generating potential of a large earthquake. ther and ensure that these systems are available
portion of bilateral and multilateral resources Timely issuance and dissemination of tsunami to all countries, particularly those with least
for development and humanitarian actions early warnings, has allowed for protection of resources.
1.2005 Diva 21