The Role of IOC in Coordinating Tsunami Warning Systems

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The Role of IOC in Coordinating Tsunami Warning
Systems

• Tony Elliott
• Head of ICG/IOTWS
• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
• IOC Regional Programme Office, Perth

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Outline

• Introduction to IOC
• Global Tsunami Information
• Establishment of ITSU/PTWS, IOTWS, NEAM and
  CARIBE
• Elements of an Intergovernmental Regional Warning
  System
• How Does IOC Facilitate?
• Take Home Points

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Founded in 1960 with 136 mainly coastal member
states The General Assembly meets in odd years
and the Executive Council in even years
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To coordinate these issues among member states
the IOC secretariat is divided into four
units Science and Marine Ecosystems
OOS Capacity Building
Tsunami
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Tsunami Sources in the world (2180 events from
1628 BC to 2005)
Source, ITDB, 2005
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Causes of Tsunamis
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Event Distribution Tsunamigenic Regions
Whole Historical Period
20th Century
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• In 1965 IOC established the ICG/ITSU
  International Coordination Group for the Tsunami
  Warning Mitigation System in the Pacific (PTWS)
• Recommends coordinates tsunami programs,
  including timely ocean wide tsunami warnings
• Successful operational for more than 40 years
• System is based on 26 national and 4 regional
  centres

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26 December 2004

• c.230,000 Dead Nations of the region react
• IOC invited to lead TWS establishment

11 countries 230,000 deaths 1 million displaced
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Establishment of an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning
System

• March April 2005 In the aftermath of
  greatest tsunami in recorded history, IOC held
  two International Coordination meetings on the
  development of an IOTWS in Paris and Mauritius
• July 2005 IOC established the International
  Coordination Group for the Tsunami Warning
  Mitigation System in the Indian Ocean (ICG/IOTWS)

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Global Network of TWS
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• The Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning Mitigation
  System
• (IOTWS)

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What is the System?

• Fully owned by Indian Ocean countries (28 Member
  States)
• Based on international and multilateral
  cooperation, with governance provided by IOC
• Based on open and free data exchange
• Protect all countries in Indian Ocean
• Transparent and accountable to all countries

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How Does it Function?

• Based on joint operation of international
  networks of detection connected with national
  tsunami warning centres
• High-level commitment by countries with UN
  governance provided under the IOC
• Each nation is responsible for issuing warnings
  in their territory and for protecting its own
  population.
• National centres must have strong links with
  emergency preparedness authorities (national,
  provincial and local)

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End-to-End System
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IOTWS Working Groups

• WG1 Seismic measurements, data collection and
  exchange
• WG2 Sea level data collection and exchange,
  including tsunameters
• WG3 Risk assessment
• WG4 Modelling, forecasting and scenario
  development
• WG5 System of interoperable advisory and
  warning centres
• WG6 Mitigation, preparedness and response

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WG1 Seismic Measurements, Data Collection and
ExchangeChair Dr Fauzi, Indonesia

• Goals-
• Core network of seismic stations, meeting
  instrument requirements, operational by 2010 and
  being maintained
• Ensure that all earthquakes gt6 can be reliably
  located and quantified.
• Reduce time required for earthquake source
  characterisation to meet a local warning response
  of 5 to 10 minutes

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WG2 Sea Level Measurements, Data collection and
ExchangeChair Mr Prem Kumar, India

• Goals-
• Regional core network of coastal sea level
  stations and deep ocean stations, meeting
  instrument requirements and standards,
  operational by 2010 and being maintained by
  countries in the region

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Proposed Deep Ocean Sea Level Measurement Network

• Malaysia 1(3)
• India 11
• Indonesia 12(22)
• Thailand 3
• Australia 2 (4)
• USA 3
• - IO (Total)

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WG3 Risk AssessmentChair Dr Sam
Hettiarachchi, Sri Lanka

• Goals-
• Standardised hazard risk assessment methods and
  products developed and employed to reduce
  vulnerability and strengthen coping capacity of
  coastal communities to tsunami hazards
• Assessment of environmental flashpoints at
  subnational level for use in preparedness and
  spatial planning and disaster risk reduction

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Indian Ocean Hazard Maps
Preparation of Indian Ocean Tsunami Hazard Maps
(2nd Quarter 2008) The Hazard Maps will
represent, at a regional scale, wave heights and
return periods for tsunamis generated from major
earthquakes and volcano sources.
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WG4 Modelling, Forecasting and Scenario
DevelopmentChair Dr Charitha Pattiaratchi, Sri
Lanka

• Goals-
• Provide benchmarked and validated numerical
  modelling methods and software applicable for the
  Indian Ocean
• Develop and sustain national and regional
  capacity to apply numerical modelling for tsunami
  source generation, wave propagation, and coastal
  inundation in the Indian Ocean

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ComMIT
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WG5 System of Interoperable Advisory and
Warning CentresChair Mr Geoff Crane, Australia

• Goals-
• Coordinated regional warning system for the
  entire Indian Ocean region composed of network of
  interoperable Regional Tsunami Watch Providers
  and National Tsunami Warning Centres.
• National tsunami warning centres established and
  operating as authoritative source for tsunami
  advice and warnings.
• Tsunami alerts disseminated to the last mile
  through effective communications programmes.

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RTWP Initiative

• Interim Advisory Service provided by PTWC and JMA
• Potential RTWPs are Australia, India, Indonesia,
  Malaysia, Iran and Thailand/ ADPC
• Implementation Plan to create an interoperable
  system of RTWPs. Plan to be completed by end
  2007
• Working towards providing full regional coverage
  for Indian Ocean by end 2008

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TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 001 PACIFIC TSUNAMI
WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS ISSUED AT 2055Z 01 APR
2007 THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE
PACIFIC BASIN EXCEPT ALASKA BRITISH COLUMBIA -
WASHINGTON - OREGON - CALIFORNIA. A TSUNAMI
WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR SOLOMON IS. / PAPUA
NEW GUINEA FOR ALL OTHER PACIFIC AREAS, THIS
MESSAGE IS AN ADVISORY ONLY.AN EARTHQUAKE HAS
OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS
ORIGIN TIME - 2040Z 01 APR 2007 COORDINATES -
8.6 SOUTH 157.2 EAST LOCATION - SOLOMON
ISLANDS MAGNITUDE - 7.8 EVALUATION IT IS
NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. THIS
WARNING IS BASED ONLY ON THE EARTHQUAKE
EVALUATION. AN EARTHQUAKE OF THIS SIZE HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI
THAT CAN STRIKE COASTLINES IN THE REGION NEAR
THE EPICENTER WITHIN MINUTES TO HOURS.
AUTHORITIES IN THE REGION SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE
ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS POSSIBILITY.
THIS CENTER WILL MONITOR SEA LEVEL GAUGES
NEAREST THE REGION AND REPORT IF ANY TSUNAMI
WAVE ACTIVITY IS OBSERVED.

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A perfect warning will be useless if people do
not know what to do in case of an
emergency Awareness and preparedness at the
country level is essential
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WG6 Mitigation, Preparedness and
ResponseChair Mr Michel Vielle, Seychelles

• Goals-
• Promote, share, and develop tsunami good practice
  examples, tools, and best practice information
  for capacity and resilience building and
  emergency management.
• Mainstream tsunami warning and mitigation systems
  into development planning and practice.
• Prepare national and local emergency response
  plans for coastal regions and undertake regular
  preparedness exercises and drills.
• Undertake education and outreach campaigns on
  tsunami risks, warning systems, and response in
  coastal region

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Outstanding Issues

• Maintenance
• Communications
• Data Sharing
• Bathymetric/topographic data
• Training, capacity building, technology transfer,
  training and training
• Preparedness, Mitigation Response
• Research

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Take Home Points

• IOTWS is a complex, multi-national, multi agency,
  multi-donor system
• Many players, coordination is the IOCs role but
  is a major challenge
• Pace of implementation
• Regional national local
• Regional cooperation very important
• Multi hazard integration

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Thank You!