World Tsunami Awareness Day

Even with today’s sophisticated technology, much remains to be learned about tsunamis. Unfortunately, their location and magnitude are very difficult to predict. When a tsunami is generated, its height and arrival time vary according to local coastal configurations. The resulting types of damage can further complicate safety planning. Millions of lives are potentially at risk from the threat of tsunamis.  The UNESCO IOC provides a general plan of action and basic framework for dealing with the unique hazards resulting from tsunamis.  We strongly recommend that local authorities take into account each community’s unique circumstances and periodically review current action plans . In this way, planners will be able to adapt each community’s unique topography, special circumstances, changes in the social environment and scientific research to the proposed overall strategy contained in this guide.

  In December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly designated  November 5th as  World Tsunami Awareness Day with the Resolution A/RES/70/203 to boost global efforts to strengthen tsunami preparedness. By the year 2030, an estimated 50 % of the world’s population will live in coastal areas exposed to flooding, storms and tsunamis. Scaling up international cooperation to developing countries will help ensure that 100% of communities at risk of tsunami are prepared for and resilient to tsunamis by 2030 . The General Assembly,  Recalling the Sendai Declaration and the Sendai Framework for Disaster RiskReduction 2015–2030 , adopted at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 69/283 of 3 June 2015, and recognizing that one of the priorities for action of the Sendai Framework is an understanding of disaster risk for prevention and mitigation and for the development and implementa...

The Tsunami Ready Programme lead by UNESCO-IOC. It is a voluntary, performance-based recognition initiative that promotes comprehensive tsunami preparedness at the community level. It encourages coastal communities to adopt mitigation measures that align with a standardized set of indicators. The programme contributes significantly to achieving the goal of the Sendai Framework of reducing disaster losses by promoting resilience building measures that protect lives, livelihoods, and economies from the devastating impacts of tsunamis from all sources . While being recognized as Tsunami Ready does not guarantee immunity from tsunami impacts, it signifies that a community has taken essential steps to minimize potential losses and protect its residents.  More about the programme

Global analysis estimates US$4–36 billion in annual benefits for roughly US$1 billion/year invested in modern early warning , including approx. 23,000 lives saved per year . (World Bank)

Providing universal access to early warnings (for storms, floods, and tsunamis) can reduce asset losses by up to approx. 20%, preventing about US$13 billion in damage annually. Well‑being gains are even more significant at approximately US$22 billion/year. (WMO)

After 2011, Japan built approximately 395 km of coastal seawalls at a cost of ¥1.35 trillion (US$12.7B) to delay inundation and increase evacuation time – an example of large‑scale, publicly financed risk‑reduction infrastructure .

In Kamaishi City (Japan), only 5 of approx. 2,900 elementary and junior‑high students perished when the tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan earthquake hit. No child at school that day died. This remarkable outcome is widely attributed to sustained tsunami education and frequent evacuation drills, which successfully prepared students to evacuate to higher ground. (GFDRR)