Building an all-sources tsunami early warning system by 2030.

2025 - Key milestones under the Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme brought the global community closer to a safer future for coastal populations.

When a tsunami strikes, every minute matters. While most tsunamis are triggered by earthquakes, some of the most dangerous events are caused by volcanoes, landslides, or atmospheric disturbances. These “non-seismic” tsunamis can develop rapidly and often evade traditional warning systems, leaving communities with little time to respond.

To address this challenge, the Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme (ODTP) is working toward an ambitious goal: a fully operational all-sources tsunami early warning system (TEWS) by 2030. Throughout 2025, a series of coordinated global and regional initiatives led by the Tsunami Resilience Section of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO helped accelerate progress toward this objective.

Beyond earthquakes: improving detection of non-seismic tsunamis

One of the greatest challenges in tsunami science is detecting events that do not generate strong seismic signals. Tsunamis caused by volcanic eruptions, submarine landslides, or atmospheric phenomena can strike with little warning, as seen during the 2018 Palu and Anak Krakatoa tsunamis and the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption.

Although these events differ from earthquake-generated tsunamis, their impacts can be just as devastating. Globally, non-seismic sources account for approximately 13 percent of all confirmed tsunamis, yet they remain more difficult to detect and forecast using existing warning protocols.

To help close this gap, the IOC’s Tsunami Resilience Section organized two global webinars on 16 and 23 April 2025. These sessions introduced the IOC Report on Monitoring and Warning for Tsunamis Generated by Volcanoes and provided practical guidance on monitoring technologies, hazard assessment, and region-specific risks. Experts emphasized the need to expand detection methods beyond seismic data and to adapt warning approaches to diverse geological and volcanic environments.

These discussions continued at the regional level. On 27 November 2027, experts from the North-East Atlantic and Mediterranean (NEAM) region met online to examine non-seismic tsunami threats affecting their coastlines, including volcanic activity, submarine landslides, and meteotsunamis. The exchanges underscored the importance of flexible, rapid-response systems capable of addressing multiple tsunami sources.

Connecting tsunami warnings to multi-hazard systems

Tsunami preparedness was also discussed within a broader global framework for disaster risk reduction. In June 2025, representatives from the Tsunami Resilience Section participated in Early Warnings for All (EW4All) and Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) forums held in Geneva.

These discussions aligned with the EW4All initiative, launched by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, which aims to ensure that every person on Earth is protected by a multi-hazard early warning system by the end of 2027. A central message emerged from the Geneva meetings: tsunami warning systems should not operate in isolation. Instead, they must be integrated into people-centred, multi-hazard frameworks that help communities respond to several threats at once.

More information on EW4All can be found here. 

A major milestone in Hyderabad

Momentum built throughout the year and culminated in a major milestone: the 1st Conference of the Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme, held on 10–11 November 2025 at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in Hyderabad, India.

The conference brought together scientists, policymakers, and disaster management practitioners to advance ODTP Challenge 6: ensuring that all at-risk coastal communities are prepared for and resilient to tsunamis by 2030. Participants reviewed global progress, shared national experiences, and identified critical gaps that must be addressed in the coming years.

Key priorities included expanding coastal and deep-ocean sensor networks, strengthening cooperation between scientific institutions and civil protection authorities, and increasing support for regions with limited technical and financial capacity. Particular attention was given to the needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which often face the highest tsunami risk with the fewest resources.

The Hyderabad conference reinforced a shared vision of the future: one in which timely tsunami alerts, clear evacuation guidance, and strong community preparedness are available to everyone, regardless of geography or income level.

To learn more about the Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme, visit here.

Looking ahead to 2030.

Across all 2025 events, a consistent message emerged. Scientific understanding of non-seismic tsunami sources is improving, but operational readiness remains uneven across regions. Achieving a fully functional, all-sources tsunami early warning system by 2030 will require sustained investment in monitoring infrastructure, stronger coordination between scientific and civil protection agencies, and targeted support for high-risk and resource-constrained regions.

The Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme now serves as a central platform for linking global scientific advances with regional cooperation and national implementation. As 2030 approaches, continued collaboration and long-term commitment will be essential to ensure that scientific progress translates into real-world protection for coastal communities worldwide.