The Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System: A Progress Report

Patricio A. Bernal, Executive Secretary IOC Laura S. L. Kong, Director, International Tsunami Information Centre
Tsunami Deposits Workshop June 12-15, 2005 Seattle, Washington

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

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Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

Established in 1960, part of UNESCO Purpose is to promote international cooperation and to coordinate programmes in research, services and capacity-building, in order to learn more about the nature and resources of the ocean and coastal areas and to apply that knowledge for the improvement of management, sustainable development, the protection of the marine environment, and the decision-making process of its Member States
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TSUNAMI Early Warning Overview

Earthquake Tsunami
National Government Local Government

Tsunami Warning Center

What is Tsunami?
People

Mass Media
International - Regional Framework

Where is Evacuation Route? Public Awareness

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National Warning System

Cabinet Office Japan

TWS SYSTEM COMPONENTS

END-TO-END SYSTEM
Develop National and Regional Capacity to:

1. Assess national tsunami risk (Hazard assessment)

2. Establish national / regional warning center against local and regional tsunamis (Warning guidance)

3. Promote education/preparedness and risk reduction against tsunami hazard (Mitigation and Public Awareness)

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WARNING CENTER OPERATORS

Pacific, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Tsunami Warning Centers

GOVT, NGO EMERGENCY MANAGERS

Civil Defense Local Authorities

REGIONAL
NATIONAL

GLOBAL

TSUNAMI SCIENTISTS
University and Govt Researchers

Comprehensive Tsunami Risk Reduction Stakeholders build Tsunami Resilient Community

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BACKGROUND

IOC ICG/ITSU

In April 1965, IOC est. ICG/ITSU International Coordination Group for the Tsunami Warning System in the Pacific (TWSP)
Recommends & Coordinate tsunami programs, including timely international tsunami warnings Subsidiary Group to IOC Assembly composed by 129 States

In 1966, IOC established the International Tsunami Information Centre (ITIC)

Supports ITSU and TWSP

RHH Pacific Tsunami Warning Center acts as TWSP Operations Center; hosted by USA

IOC ICG/ITSU
27 member States:
Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, France, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, USSR, United States, Samoa.

Successful Operational Tsunami Warning System Successful international scientific program Direct humanitarian aim Mitigate tsunami effects - save lives/property System based on national / regional warning centres + international information centre (ITIC); Training Programme Pacific Basin monitoring of seismicity and sea levels Global network of tsunami scientists

IOC ICG/ITSU

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IOC ICG/ITSU

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Pacific Example TWSP WARNING CENTERS

RFTWC KMA JMA PHIVOLCS

ATWC

NWPTAC

PTWC
INOCAR BMG BOM CPPT SNAM NZ
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DHN

EWS WILL SAVE LIVES

Requirements
1. Warning local (educate), distant (monitoring center) 2. Recognized Authorized National Authority receives and immediately evaluates/translates, informs public For an appropriate response, - government must understand phenomena, and limitations of impact prediction, - have already practiced response plan, - have already educated and prepared public, - have already minimized impact through pre-disaster mitigation - during and afterward, be prepared to explain to highest government leaders and public why decisions made (qualitatively, quantitatively)
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UN role
Define the proper scale of the problem and its solution. The system must be:
Fully owned by Indian Ocean Rim countries Based on international multilateral cooperation Based on the open and free exchange of data Protect all countries in the Indian Ocean Basin Transparent and accountable to all members
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How does it function?

Is based on the joint operation of international networks of detection connected with national tsunami warning centres UN governance provided under the IOC Each nation is responsible for issuing warnings in their territory and protect its own population. National centres must have strong links with emergency preparedness authorities (national, provincial and local)
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ELEMENTS (Pacific):
Regional Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System
National National National TWC National TWC National National TWC TWC TWC TWS
WC/ATWC NWPTAC

PTWC Regional TWC

International Tsunami Information Centre (ITIC)

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Where are we now?

A single system being planned All countries of the Indian Ocean participate Tsunami advisory information provided from centres in Hawaii and Tokyo. National focal points designated in 19 nations Governance of UN/IOC to be accepted in Paris Full scope of the task recognized: multi-nation (28), multi-year (>3) Beyond the emergency: transition to reconstruction and development phase. Joint UN implementation: IOC, WMO, ISDR, UNDP 15

Timeline 2005
Ja F M A M J Jul A S O N D Ja Fe
Implementation Interim System IOC-WMO-ISDR Implementation full system 2005-2006
Jan 18-22: World Conference on Disaster Reduction, Kobe Jan 25-26: China-ASEAN Beijing Workshop Jan 28-29: Ministerial Meeting, Phuket, Thailand Feb 16: EOS III/GEOSS, Brussels Feb 22-24 Tokyo Seminar, Senior Officers Affected countries Feb 28-March 2: NHK and Asian Broadcasting Union ws Mar 3-8: IOC 1st Regional Technical Coordination Mtg, Paris Mar 6-19: JICA/ADRC training course, Tokyo Mar 14-18: WMO GTS workshop, Jakarta, Indonesia Apr 14-16: IOC 2nd Regional Coordination Mtg, Mauritius 16

Timeline 2005
Ja F M A M J Jul A S O N D Ja Fe
Implementation Interim System IOC-WMO-ISDR
Implementation full system 2005-2006
Assessments

May-Aug: IOC-led multi-disc technical /capacity assessments June 22: IOC General Ass, Paris: Formal est of ICG/IOTWS July: IOC-ISDR Japan and Hawaii TWS Study Tours Sept: TIME tsunami modelling, PHIVOLCS-ITIC-IASPEI-IAVCEI Sept-Oct: 1st meeting of the ICG/IOTWS

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Mission Calendar
May - August: 18 - 20 countries 3-day mission: IOC, WMO, ISDR, in-country organizations, incl UNDP, OCHA, IFRC Goal: Assess technical capability and capacity building needs; establish national priorities, regional actions
18-21 May: Sri Lanka 6-17 June: Oman, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania 10-15 June: Myanmar, Pakistan 4-9 July: Comores, Madagascar 5-13 July: Mozambique, Mauritius, Seychelles 15-25 August: Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh 20-28 August: India, Indonesia, Maldives Not yet scheduled: Iran, South Africa

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Implementation
Fast-track, based on existing networks seismographic and sea-level CTBTO broadcasting data experimentally Sea-level GLOSS network being upgraded Communication channels being provided through existing operators (GTS of WMO) Plans for full-fledged system to be completed: technical group to convene Interim solution operating by October National tsunami mitigation coordination committee organized; National tsunami response plans developed 19

GLOBAL BROADBAND SEISMOGRAPHIC NETWORK

Broadband Seismic Stations contributing data to PTWC

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Indian Ocean GLOSS

WHITE CROSS retransmission to PTWC via GTS Select station from map for data display.
There are 9 GLOSS sites with hourly real-time data, 11 additional sites with hourly fast delivery data, 10 sites with hourly data later than 1999, 2 sites with hourly data before 1999, 15 sites with monthly data later than 1999, and 8 sites with monthly data before 1999.

Tsunami Monitoring
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Suggested global distribution of deep sea pressure sensors (USA - to be defined)

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Beyond the immediate response: Planning Global Coverage

Caribbean Region (IOCARIBE)
IASTWS, 2002; Coordination mtg, Jun 2005

South West Pacific (Australia)

SP Awareness WS, 2004; SOPAC Tsunami WG; Planning Sept 2005

South-China Sea (WESTPAC/ASEAN)

China-ASEAN, Jan 2005

Mediterranean: France, Spain, Italy, Algeria

Technical WS, Mar 2005

Strengthening of the Pacific System, Atlantic/Caribbean (USA, Senate Bill 50) ICG/ITSU October 2005 (Valparaso, Chile)
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Issues requiring support

Donor Coordination: Financial project pledges to extend Tsunami coverage to 28 nations of Indian Ocean Rim beyond 2005 and to multi-hazard platform (TSU-REG-05/CSS10 Region)

Deep-sea pressure sensor technology for tsunami detection (NOAA DART availability)
Facilitating free exchange of national data for protection of life and property. Communication channels for increased number of instrumental platforms (Geo-sta Meteo Satellites)

Support for the establishment of IOC Operational Centre for disaster management

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How can scientists assist?

In collaboration with countries: Conduct post-tsunami surveys; Report / data to countries (IOC)
Wave runup/inundation, geology, engineering, social, eyewitness

Conduct research on
Real time seismic characterization of great earthquakes Numerical Modelling of impacted/vulnerable coastlines Engineering design guidance for seismic/tsunami loading; vertical evacuation criteria New real-time tsunami (and other hazards) monitoring GPS (remote, cabled), altimetry, ionospheric, remote sensing

Collect all data on earthquake / tsunami, and follow-up studies Create universally-available, comprehensive database / archive
Global, regional, local seismograms, hydroacoustic, satellite, deformation signals; Sea level records coastal gauges, deepocean; Satellite imagery Damage and impact; Research

Participate as experts in capacity building efforts organized regionally (by IOC and others) and nationally 25

ITIC:

Dr. Laura Kong l.kong@unesco.org

PTWC:

Dr. Charles McCreery charles.mccreery@noaa.gov

ITSU: ioc.unesco.org/itsu www.tsunamiwave.info Chair: Dr. Francois Schindele IOC: Dr. Patricio Bernal IOC Tsu Prog: Peter Pisserssens p.pissierssens@unesco.org
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