End to End TEWS

In response to the tragic tsunami on 26 December 2004, in which over 250,000 lives were lost around the Indian Ocean region, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO/IOC) received a mandate from the international community to coordinate the establishment of an Intergovernmental Coordination Group (ICG) for each region: the Caribbean, the Atlantic and Mediterranean basins and the Indian Ocean, to guide the development of tsunami warning centres in those areas.

An end-to-end tsunami warning system begins with the rapid detection of a tsunami wave and ends with a well prepared community that is capable of responding appropriately to a warning. An effective end-to-end tsunami early warning system could save thousands of lives in a tsunami event.

The operation of a tsunami warning centre is a vital part of an end-to-end tsunami warning system. A tsunami warning centre is not only involved in acquiring and processing data for detecting a tsunami, but also in formulating and disseminating tsunami warnings and connecting with communities at risk to ensure that they understand the warning and have the capacity to respond.

End to End TEWS

End to End TEWS

Source: U.S. Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System Program (US IOTWS). 2007. Tsunami Warning Center. Reference Guide supported by the United States Agency for International Development and partners, Bangkok, Thailand. 311 p.

NEAMTIC game

Languages : English

Videos Library

Preparing for Tsunamis in the Mediterranean

An early-warning system can be effective only when the population is well aware of the tsunami phenomenon and knows what to do in case of an emergency. These videos explain how tsunamis occur and provide an overview of the history of tsunamis in the Mediterranean region. They include a brief presentation of the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas. Tsunamis are a rare occurrence in the Mediterranean, leading to a lack of awareness and preparedness that put these densely populated coasts at greater risk.

E-LEARNING Library

This open access e-learning library aims to contribute to capacity building of professionals and practitioners working in disaster risk management and tsunamis