IOC SEMINAR ON TSUNAMI WARNING OPERATIONS UNDER THE ...iisee.kenken.go.jp/staff/fujii/Laura/PTWS_Info_ITIC.pdf · IOC SEMINAR ON TSUNAMI WARNING OPERATIONS UNDER THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI

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Honolulu, April 2007

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INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION

(of UNESCO)

IOC SEMINAR ON

TSUNAMI WARNING OPERATIONS UNDER THE PACIFIC

TSUNAMI WARNING AND MITIGATION SYSTEM (PTWS):

PROTOCOLS, PROCEDURES AND BEST PRACTICES FOR

MONITORING, EVALUATION AND ALERTING THE PUBLIC

2-3 April 2007, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

SUMMARY REPORT

ANNEX xxx.

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS OF THE

INTERNATIONAL TSUNAMI INFORMATION CENTRE



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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. ITIC OVERVIEW................................................................................................................................... 3

1.1. MISSION AND FUNCTIONS......................................................................................................... 3 1.2. STAFF................................................................................................................................................ 4 1.3. ITIC ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................................................ 4 1.3.1. MEETINGS ATTENDED BY THE ITIC DIRECTOR DURING THE

INTERSESSIONAL PERIOD, MAY 2006 TO FEBRUARY 2007 ................................................. 4 1.3.2. TWC ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.3.2.1. OPERATIONS.................................................................................................................................... 5 1.3.2.2. TWC ESTABLISHMENT – CONSULTATION, TRAINING, WORKSHOPS........................................... 5 1.3.2.3. TECHNICAL TWC DOCUMENTS - USERS GUIDES FOR DIFFERENT REGIONS

(IOTWS, PTWS, CARIBE-EWS), TWC OPERATIONS MANUALS.............................................. 6 1.3.2.4. IMPROVING EXISTING INTERNATIONAL SERVICES (PTWC, JMA, WC/ATWC, AND OTHERS) . 6 1.3.2.5. SEISMIC AND SEA LEVEL NETWORKS AND DATA STREAMS –

MORE AND BETTER DATA, AND EVALUATION METHODS ............................................................ 7 1.3.2.6. OPERATIONAL TOOLS FOR MEMBER STATES ................................................................................ 8 1.3.2.7. POST-EVENT ANALYSIS.................................................................................................................. 9 1.3.3. EMERGENCY RESPONSE – LOCAL SOP, EMERGENCY ALERT DISSEMINATION .................. 9 1.3.4. PREPAREDNESS........................................................................................................................ 10 1.3.5. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS, TSUNAMI HISTORICAL EVENTS .......................... 11 1.3.6. RESEARCH ................................................................................................................................. 11 1.3.7. TRAINING ................................................................................................................................... 12 1.3.7.1. ITP-HAWAII .................................................................................................................................. 12 1.3.7.2. ITP-INTERNATIONAL .................................................................................................................... 12 1.3.7.3. SEISMOLOGY AND TSUNAMI WARNNG ........................................................................................ 13 1.4. INTERNATIONAL INTER-AGENCY COOPERATIONS ..................................................... 13 1.4.1. TECHNICAL................................................................................................................................ 13 1.4.2. REGIONAL.................................................................................................................................. 14 1.4.3. UNITED NATIONS .................................................................................................................... 15

2. 2007 CAPACITY BUILDING FOCUS: END-TO-END TSUNAMI EARLY WARNING...... 15

2.1. ORGANIZATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 16 2.2. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS ........................................... 16 2.3. STRENGTHENING TSUNAMI WARNING AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE -

ITIC SUPPORT ............................................................................................................................... 16

3. TSUNAMI WARNING INFORMATION TOOLS ......................................................................... 17

3.1. TSUNAMI HISTORICAL DATABASES.................................................................................... 17 3.2. TSUNAMI TRAVEL TIME SOFTWARE ................................................................................... 18 3.3. RANET SMS HEADS-UP ALERTS AND RANET NATIONAL TSUNAMI

WARNING ALERT CAPABILITY ............................................................................................... 19 3.4. REAL-TIME EARTHQUAKE DISPLAY (RTED) ..................................................................... 20 3.5. TSUNAMI BULLETIN BOARD .................................................................................................. 20 3.6. SEA LEVEL .................................................................................................................................... 21

4. PUBLICATIONS AND AWARENESS TOOLS.............................................................................. 24

4.1. AWARENESS MATERIALS ........................................................................................................ 24 4.2. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES ....................................................................................................... 25 4.2.1. TSUNAMITEACHER................................................................................................................. 25 4.2.2. TSUNAMI AWARENESS KIT, PACIFIC ISLANDS ............................................................................ 25 4.2.3. ITIC LIBRARY AND NEWSLETTER ..................................................................................... 26 4.2.4. STOP DISASTER! SIMULATION GAME .............................................................................. 26

5. CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................................... 26



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1. ITIC OVERVIEW

During the Intersessional Period, the ITIC continued to strongly support the efforts of the IOC

Tsunami Programme as the lead Centre for sharing experience and know-how, based on the

Pacific, with regions starting to implement tsunami warning and mitigation systems in the

world’s oceans and marginal seas. This Report, first provided to the ICG/IOTWS, gives a

overview of the ITIC’s contributions to assist the region and Member States to improve and

strengthen the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System. The Report includes

descriptions of how ITIC is supporting the operational needs of the PTWS and interim IOTWS

services.

1.1. MISSION AND FUNCTIONS

The IOC established the ITIC in 1965 to assist in the development and maintenance of an

effective tsunami warning and mitigation system in the Pacific (ICG/ITSU, now ICG/PTWS)

where 80% of the world’s tsunamis are observed. Since the 26 December 2004 tsunami, the

ITIC has been strongly supporting, at the request of Member States, the development of

tsunami warning and mitigation systems in the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean, and the

Mediterranean and north Atlantic. The ITIC is hosted by the USA; an Associate Director is

provided by a Member State other than the USA. Broadly, ITIC’s mission is to:

• Monitor / Recommend improvements to the PTWS and other international tsunami

warning systems, particularly with respect to communications, data networks,

evaluations, and information dissemination;

• Assist in establishing regional and national tsunami warning and mitigation systems

through implementation of comprehensive risk reduction programmes;

• Serve as a technical resource for technology transfer, encouragement of research to

improve evaluations, and the conduct of trainings and other ways of building capacity;

• Serve as an information resource for preparedness / education, and to develop,

publish, and distribute high-quality materials of the IOC and other international,

regional, national, and local organizations;

• Serve as an information resource on historical tsunamis, including the continual

development of a high-quality tsunami event database in collaboration with the World

Data Center (USA National Geophysical Data Center), and coordination assistance

for international post-tsunami surveys that collect perishable data after tsunami events.

The ITIC serves as the Technical Secretariat for the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for

the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/PTWS), and as such works closely

with the IOTWS Secretariat and CARIBE-EWS Secretariat to support activities in each of

these regions. This close cooperation and coordination is essential as the PTWS shares

Member States with the IOTWS and CARIBE-EWS.

The ICG/PTWS is subsidiary body of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

(IOC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The ICG/PTWS was formed in 1965, and was renamed from the International Coordination

Group for the Tsunami Warning System in the Pacific (ICG/ITSU) in 2005 to better represent

the comprehensive nature of tsunami risk reduction. ITSU stands for International Tsunami.

The ICG/PTWS acts to coordinate international tsunami warning and mitigation activities. One

of the most important activities of the ICG/PTWS is ensure the timely issuance of tsunami

warnings in the Pacific.



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The ITIC web site is http://www.tsunamiwave.info (http://ioc3.unesco.org/itic/).

The PTWS web site is http://ioc3.unesco.org/ptws/

1.2. STAFF

The ITIC presently consists of a Director, Associate Director (presently vacant, formerly

Emilio Lorca, Chile), one Senior Professional Staff (Brian Yanagi, Disaster Management

Specialist), and three Support Staff (Linda Sjogren, Information Specialist / Librarian; Tammy

Kaitoku, Information Technology / Webmaster; Alicia Estell, Administrative Assistant). The

ITIC Director and Associate Director have advanced technical backgrounds and experience in

seismology, tsunami science, and tsunami warning operations. The Disaster Management

Specialist has extensive prior working experience as the Earthquake and Tsunami Programme

Manager for the Hawaii State Civil Defense. Starting in April 2007, the ITIC will welcome

Yohko Igarashi as a secondment from the Japan Meteorological Agency, who will assist in all

activities of the ITIC.

1.3. ITIC ACTIVITIES

This section provides an overview of activities that the ITIC currently supports. A description

of the ITIC contribution is given, and is followed where applicable, by actual activities that

ITIC is engaged in for the PTWS and IOTWS region.

1.3.1. MEETINGS ATTENDED BY THE ITIC DIRECTOR DURING THE

INTERSESSIONAL PERIOD, May 2006 to February 2007

The ITIC Director and/or Senior Professional attended the following meetings during the

intersessional period:

Training:

• USGS-IOC Seismology and Tsunami Warning Training, Indonesia, 8-17 May 2006

• USGS-IOC Seismology and Tsunami Warning Training, Thailand, 15-22 May 2006

• USGS-IOC Seismology and Tsunami Warning Training, Malaysia, 21-25 August 2006

• USGS-IOC Seismology and Tsunami Warning Training, Maldives, 27-31 August 2006

• UNESCO IOC Seminar: Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System

Products and Services, Sri Lanka, 30 August 2006

Meetings:

• ISDR-ESCAP-IOC-IAP Regional Workshop on Mitigation, Preparedness, and

Development of Tsunami Early Warning Systems in the Indian Ocean Region,

Bangkok, 14-16 June 2006

• IOC 39th

Session of the Executive Council, 21-28 June 2006

• IOC ICG/IOTWS-III, Bali, Indonesia, 31 July – 2 August 2006

• North Pacific Tsunami Awareness Conference, Guam, 22-24 August 2006

• IOC Project: Strengthening Tsunami Warning Centre and Emergency Responses:

Development of Standard Operating Procedures in Support of an Indonesia Tsunami

Drill on 26 December 2006, Monthly multi-national missions, Sept 2006 to Feb 2007

• 28th

Meeting of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Meteorology and Geophysics,

Vientianne, Lao PDR, 19-21 September 2006 (attended by PTWS Vice-Chair).

• Civilian Applications of the CTBT International Monitoring System: Tsunami

Warnings, talk given at: Verifying the comprehensive nuclear test ban: 10 years of

development, Verification Research, Training and Information Centre (VERTIC),

United Nations, New York, 9 October 2006

• Tsunami Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Emergency Management, talk



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given at: Malaysia Disaster Awareness Day, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 27 Dec 2006

• ICG/IOTWS Working Group 6 – Mitigation, Preparedness and Response Intersessional

Meeting, Malaysia, 24-25 January 2007

• Expectations, Successes and Failures of Tsunami Early Warning Systems, talk given at:

Germany-USGS Training Course on Seismology, Data Analysis and Tsunami

Detection - Opening Ceremony, Jakarta, Indonesia, 29 Jan 2007

• IOC ICG/IOTWS-IV, Mombasa, Kenya, 28 February – 2 March 2007

1.3.2. TWC ACTIVITIES

1.3.2.1. Operations

While not maintaining a 7x24 operation, the ITIC is nevertheless well informed at all times of

tsunami warning center messages and bulletins. It does this through two means:

• The ITIC Director is on the telephone call-down list of the PTWC. Through this

means, the ITIC Director is informed of all events for which the PTWC issues a

product (M6.5 or greater for all regions). If the event exceeds the threshold for a

warning, the ITIC Director will main good contact with the PTWC to keep advised of

the latest information, and will also offer assistance to the PTWC should they need it.

At the same time, a large event often triggers media phone calls to the ITIC and ITIC

Director. If the event is of threat to the State of Hawaii, the ITIC Director is also paged

by Hawaii State Civil Defense to advise the Director State Civil Defense on the threat

to Hawaii.

• The ITIC directly receives through email all messages of the PTWC and JMA. These

include the PTWC Earthquake Observatory message, and all other official products

that are issued.

• The ITIC hosts the Tsunami Bulletin Board, which immediately posts tsunami

messages issued by the PTWC, WC/ATWC, and soon the JMA.

Member States and other national authorities should not hesitate to call the ITIC Director, or

ITIC, if it is in need of emergency event information. Unlisted and mobile phone numbers are

available upon request.

1.3.2.2. TWC Establishment – Consultation, Training, Workshops

One the ITIC’s main functions is to assist countries and regions to establish tsunami warning

and mitigation systems. Historically, it has concentrated its efforts in the Pacific, but the ITIC

was also an integral part of the IOC-endorsed Intra-Americas Tsunami Warning System

proposal (2002). It accomplishes this through expert consultations, development and conduct

of training courses, and organization of workshops and seminars sub-regionally and nationally.

One of the strengths of the ITIC is its breadth of knowledge and working linkages with experts

across the fields of seismology, tsunami science and mitigation, and emergency management.

Because of this, the ITIC is able to provide consultations and trainings that gather the best and

most experienced experts to share their expertise. The ITIC conducted a number of trainings in

2006 (see Section 1.3.7).

The ITIC is the primary developer of the comprehensive National Tsunami Assessment

Questionnaire used in, and was an expert tsunami participant in the IOC-led assessment

missions in the Indian Ocean conducted in 2005. The Questionnaire had its origins from the

2004 IOC-SOPAC South Pacific Tsunami Awareness Workshop. For the IOC missions, the

ITIC worked with the ISDR and IFRC to include the disaster risk reduction and community-

based preparedness aspects, and with the WMO to include capacity questions on the National



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Meteorological and Hydrographic Services. The ITIC was a prime author of the IOC’s

Assessment of Capacity Building Requirements for an Effective and Durable Tsunami Warning

and Mitigation System in the Indian Ocean: Consolidated Report for 16 Countries Affected by

the 26 December 2004 Tsunami (IOC 1219).

In the Pacific, the then ITSU Secretariat requested PTWS Member States to complete the

Questionnaire for ITSU-XX in 2005. A number, but not all, of countries have done so. In

2006, the North Pacific Tsunami Awareness Workshop used part of the Questionnaire to

support to develop a Tsunami Programme Development Strategy for the North Pacific Island

Countries. In 2007, Australia will undertake a series of missions using the full Pacific

Questionnaire to completely assess the existing capacity of SOPAC Member States; the

missions will be cooperative with SOPAC with the PTWS/ITIC invited to participate.

In the Caribbean and adjacent seas, the Questionnaire has been modified slightly to be used to

assess the existing capacity of Member States of the ICG/CARIBE-EWS. The Questionnaire

will be used as the basis for Assessment Missions in the region.

1.3.2.3. Technical TWC Documents - Users Guides for different

regions (IOTWS, PTWS, CARIBE-EWS), TWC Operations

Manuals

The ITIC, along with the PTWC (PTWS, IOTWS, CARIBE-EWS) and JMA (PTWS and

IOTWS), have been the centres responsible for the creation, update, and distribution of the

Tsunami Warning System Users Guides for the different regions. Formerly called the

Communications Plan, the Users Guide for each region provides a summary of the services

provided by the operating tsunami warning centres. The Guide is intended for use by the

National Tsunami Warning Focal Points as customers receiving the advisories from the

(interim) centres It includes a summary of the operational procedures, the seismographic and

sea level networks used by the warning centres, the criteria for the reporting and issuing of

tsunami information messages, the recipients of the information, and the methods by which the

messages are sent.

The ITIC is leading the effort with the existing warning centres to standardize the format and

content of the Users Guide for all oceans.

The ITIC provides a collating service for the necessary documents to describe tsunami warning

centres or systems. These include system overviews such as the PTWS Master Plan, system

plans such as the Implementation Plans of the IOTWS or NEAMTWS, tsunami warning system

Concepts of Operations, Warning Centre Operations Manuals, and Users Guides.

At a global scale, the ITIC supports consistency of tsunami warning services and products. As

part of the IOC’s Tsunami Unit, the ITIC is working with expert colleagues to develop a

standardized generic set of documents required to support Tsunami Warning Centre standard

operating procedures and other protocols of action and alert dissemination. In this connection,

JMA is now preparing its tsunami warning operations manual and will be distributing this in

the future.

1.3.2.4. Improving Existing International Services (PTWC, JMA,

WC/ATWC, and others)

Within the Pacific, the ITIC plays a strong role in continually assessing existing services to

identify enhancements to improve the timeliness, reliability, and accuracy of tsunami

advisories. These include the consideration of data networks and data sharing, methods of

seismic and sea level monitoring, detection, and event threat evaluation, and the construct of

clear, understandable messages that are sent and received in a timely manner by the appropriate



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national authority.

The ITIC has done this through the close working relationships with the PTWS Officers (Chair,

Vice-Chair, Former Chair, PTWC Director), through Working Groups convened by the ICG

with direct tasks for review and recommendation, through the organization of warning centre

coordination meetings, or other workshops aimed at bringing together the suppliers of

information (warning centres) and the users of the information (emergency services).

In the Pacific, recent efforts have focused on increasing the magnitude threshold for tsunami

warnings, evaluating and hardening communications pathways through the conduct of a

Pacific-wide tsunami exercise, improving the content and clarity of tsunami message products

and introduction of new service products to meet customer needs, evaluating and agreeing

internationally upon criteria used for warning cancellations, and improving the maintenance of

tsunami warning focal points and conduct of communications tests.

In the Indian Ocean, the ITIC continues to encourage consistency in services of the PTWC and

JMA, and works closely with them to support their needs whenever possible. Many of the

improvement activities of the PTWS and its tsunami warning centres will also be incorporated

into services of the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.

In January 2007, the ITIC with PTWC convened the first PTWS Tsunami Warning Centre

Coordination Meeting in Honolulu. The goals of the meeting were to share information on the

existing practices of international / national tsunami warning centres operating in the Pacific,

discuss and identify improvements in coordination, information sharing, and procedures

followed during tsunami events, and provide input to the Task Team on Message Content.

1.3.2.5. Seismic and Sea Level Networks and Data Streams – More and Better Data, and Evaluation Methods

The ITIC continues to stay abreast and involved in the encouragement of better

instrumentation, more real-time data streams, and reliable real-time seismic processing and

archiving, and faster tsunamigenic evaluation methods of earthquakes to support timely

tsunami warnings for both local and distant tsunamis.

In the PTWS and the IOTWS, the ITIC has initially consulted most strongly to the Seismic

Working Groups in order to give first priority to the detection and real-time seismic

characterization of shallow, great undersea earthquakes as those have the greatest potential for

causing destructive tsunamis. The ITIC played a strong role in encouraging the first

intersessional working group meetings for the IOTWS (November 2005) and PTWS (March

2006). The ITIC Director is a member of the IRIS Global Seismic Network Standing

Committee, and as such, provides input to the Committee on the importance of the GSN for

tsunami warning monitoring.

At the same time, and being physically located near the University of Hawaii Sea Level Center

and the IOC GLOSS Group of Experts Chair, the ITIC is also helping to keep instrument

installation status information flowing amongst the different users. In the context of sea level

monitoring, the ITIC initiated the effort with PTWC to provide an operational tool (TideTool)

to TWFP for the decode and display of sea level data transmitted over the GTS. It also seeded

the IOC IODE efforts for the ODINAFRICA sea level monitoring facility, and is currently part

of the PTWC and Pacific Disaster Center efforts to build a web service based on XML schema

for tsunami monitoring sea level stations. See Section 3.5 for more information on these tools.

The ITIC continues to monitor the effectiveness of deep-ocean sensors for upgrading,

downgrading, or canceling tsunami warnings, and especially the timeliness and accuracy of

operational tsunami wave forecasts. The development of deep-ocean systems capable of



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transmitting both bottom pressure wave and seismic signals should be a priority as currently 1-

sensor deployments are both costly, and potentially unsustainable due to the infrequency of

tsunamis.

1.3.2.6. Operational Tools for Member States

The ITIC seeks to identify and provide to Member States useful tsunami warning centre

operational tools. It does this by reviewing the operations and activities of existing warning

centres, and of the related scientific fields, in order to develop and distribute software,

databases, or other assistance. Among the tools that the ITIC has identified as useful tools for

tsunami warning centres are:

• Heads-Up Alert of PTWC Messages – The RANET project provides SMS message to

cell phones for essential national authorities. Typical message receipt about 5 min after

issuance. This service is not meant to replace messages sent over authorized methods

such as the GTS (since April 2005). See Section 3.2

• Tsunami Bulletin Board (TBB) – list serve for immediate sharing of tsunami

information by and among tsunami professional (scientists, researchers, emergency

officials, etc) – no media or public allowed. PTWC, WC/ATWC and soon JMA

bulletins immediately posted to TBB (since 1998). See Section 3.4

• Real-time Earthquake Display (RTED or CISN) – USGS-supported software that will

automatically display earthquake information as the USGS NEIC computes it.

WC/ATWC and soon PTWC tsunami messages are linked in this tool. Tool allows for

customization of networks, alarms, display of events based on size or location, and

upload of GIS layers (including raster maps) (since August 2005). See Section 3.3

• Sea Level Decode and Display. See Section 3.5

(TideTool) – PTWC-supported operational software which will decode and

display, with mouse manipulation of time series, sea level data from the IO that is

transmitted through the GTS (since Nov 2005)

(ODINAFRICA) – IODE developed website, non-operational monitoring tool for

Africa which includes both station metadata and sea level time series (current and

archived) - incorporates information from TideTool (since March 2006)

http://www.vliz.be/vmdcdata/iode/blist.php?showmap=t

http://iodeweb2.vliz.be/tsunami/

(UHSLC) – UHSLC-supported, non-operational web site providing time series of

IO sea level stations (cannot by manipulated). URL available on request. (since

Jan 2005)

(Sea level Web Service) – collaborative effort led by Pacific Disaster Center with

PTWC, ITIC, UHSLC, NOAA, and others to create tool that can provide status of

tsunami monitoring sea level stations globally (stated in 2005, and continuing as

in-progress pilot).

• Tsunami Travel Time Calculation and Display Software – software executable and

map display software for generating tsunami travel time maps. This tool is a

standalone tool (as compared to integrated in the ITDB) capable of making customized

maps, and with the ability to use fine, high-resolution bathymetry to obtain the best

estimates of travel time. Runs on PC, but software code also available as subroutines

or other computing platforms. Uses open-source Generic Mapping Tools for plotting.

(ITIC, NDGC, since Feb 2007). See Section 3.1

• Interactive Tsunami Database (ITDB) – includes historical tsunami event and run-up

database and tsunami travel time calculator operating as a self-contained tool with



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graphics displays on a PC. This is supported by an online service. Novosibirsk

Tsunami Laboratory and IOC PTWS (2005).

• Global Tsunami Database – online, arcIMS version, as well as quick-search tool,

supported by the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Center –

Solid Earth Geophysics – Tsunamis. http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/hazard/tsu.shtml

For more information, or signup or to receive tools, please contact ITIC.

1.3.2.7. Post-Event Analysis

The ITIC routinely provides a clearinghouse for tsunami warning timelines and event data

through its web site.

http://ioc3.unesco.org/itic/categories.php?category_no=86&PHPSESSID=d14eaa0cad6c32f3e6

57b44f7cf2eb9e

Much of the event data is gathered from postings to the Tsunami Bulletin Board by scientists.

The ITIC, in collaboration with other colleagues of the IOC Tsunami Unit, the PTWC, JMA,

and the WC/ATWC, will also provide some analysis and lessons learned from each large event.

The ITIC will also work with PTWC and IOC Tsunami Unit Senior Tsunami Advisor to start

an effort of post-event reporting by countries after significant events, with the goal of ensuring

communication pathways are working and immediately highlight lessons learned – the

initiative is focused on regional or system-wide needs, and is being driven by requests from the

PTWS Tsunami Warning Center Coordination Meeting Member State participants.

A summary of recent events covering mostly Pacific events in 2006 and 2007 has been created

and distributed as part of the Working Documents of this meeting. The ITIC also regularly

publishes its Tsunami Newsletter that summarizes earthquakes for which the PTWC,

WC/ATWC, and JMA issues messages on.

1.3.3. EMERGENCY RESPONSE – Local SOP, Emergency Alert Dissemination

The ITIC is compiling documents and developing templates and generic checklists and

standard operating procedures for tsunami emergency response after a warning is issued.

Within the planned capacity building effort in 2007, Strengthening Tsunami Warning and

Emergency Response: Training Workshops on the Development of Standard Operating

Procedures for Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian Countries, the ITIC will provide guidance

materials that are intended to assist countries in developing better protocols and processes for

efficiently and effectively responding to tsunami emergencies. While the focus will be on the

tsunami component, many of the materials are adaptable to responses to other hazards, with the

primary difference being that a tsunami response must be very rapid due to its quick onset and

rapid development and impact. To best respond to these types of emergencies, and for

tsunamis since they are most probably infrequent in occurrence, responses must be pre-planned

and exercised beforehand in order to test the plan feasibility and build familiarity for

emergency responders and other stakeholders. Drills and exercises are thus a strong component

of emergency preparedness.

The ITIC programme also emphasizes the importance of redundant and reliable methods for the

communications of alerts, and for these alerts to be understandable, clear, and simple to follow.

Thus, tsunami warning alerts should provide only essential information (what is the threat,

where, and when will it hit) to emergency agencies, and emergency agencies should provide

simple to follow instructions to the public on what to do (evacuate, or not, where, until when).

In terms of means of alert dissemination, the ITIC encourages the use of sustainable

communications methods for notifications to the ‘last mile or kilometer.’ This means that each



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technology that is used should, in large part, be owned and operated by the communities for

which the alerts are intended, and as such, especially rural or remote communities, the

technologies should be ‘low-tech’, low-cost, simple, and easily maintained. As such,

technologies such as FM radios /community radio stations and HF systems with solar or wind-

driven power sources, should be considered as a means of not only delivering warnings, but

also more importantly, as a means of providing other information such as on health, education,

climate and agriculture that are important for a community’s well-being.

To this extent, the ITIC supports the concepts of the RANET project. RANET was started in

Africa in 1999 as an international collaboration for improving information availability to

segments of the population who can best use it. The project has been active in the Pacific in the

last few years in close collaboration with New Zealand and Australia. Complimenting this

mission is a basic goal to improve the communication and dissemination capacities of National

Hydro-Meteorological Services (NHMSs) and related national agencies. The RANET program

addresses its core objectives by applying technologies that can bridge and extend existing

dissemination networks, by providing training on the use of information and maintenance of

networks, and developing an overall community-based dialogue on issues related to weather

and climate. By bringing together various appropriate and sustainable technologies, RANET

supports ‘human networks’ of dialogue and partnership that serve as the basis for sharing

knowledge to improve the lives of communities in remote areas, such as the Pacific Islands.

The most important element is to encourage broad and local ownership. RANET seeks to work

with a variety of NGO and government information producers to achieve a holistic approach to

sustainability and disaster reduction. RANET services are involved in activities throughout

Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

1.3.4. PREPAREDNESS

Sustained preparedness, accompanied by constant vigilance in earthquake and tsunami

detection and evaluation, is required to achieve highest safeness against tsunami hazards.

Preparedness includes a large range of activities spanning hazard identification and

risk/vulnerability assessments, government emergency planning, inundation mapping and

evacuation/safe zone determinations, sheltering, and post-disaster response, search-and-rescue,

and recovery, hard and soft countermeasures to reduce the impact of tsunamis through better or

stronger natural and man-made structures and more prudent land-use policies, to increasing the

understanding of decision-makers, school children, and the general public about tsunamis,

tsunami dangers, and the expectations/limitations of tsunami warning systems.

Community-based, people-centered efforts are thought to be the most effective and enduring

methods for assuring that people know how to recognize a tsunami and what to do and where to

go. This is in large part due to the uniqueness of each community in culture, social, economic,

and political demographics, geography, and motivation; international, and even national

agencies, can often only provide guidance as it is the locals and local government that must

want to take action.

In TsunamiTeacher, ITIC has compiled much information and studies addressing these topics.

The ITIC also has many national and local materials that it can provide as examples of different

ways in which tsunami preparedness has been delivered.

The South Pacific Tsunami Awareness Kit, a Pacific Disaster Center collaboration with

SOPAC with expert support from the ITIC and PTWC, is an example of an information

resource for Pacific Islands. A version for, and developed by Fiji in 200, provide an example

of how general information material is combined with national and local information to

produce a customized national awareness kit.



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1.3.5. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS, TSUNAMI HISTORICAL EVENTS

In TsunamiTeacher, ITIC has compiled much information and studies addressing the topics of

education and awareness. These include specific modules on Media Awareness and Education

materials and curricula. The ITIC also has many national and local tsunami awareness and

education materials.

The ITIC is actively involved in the collection of tsunami event data and observations, in

collaboration with the WDC-SEG-Tsunamis/NGDC, and in the compilation of a high quality,

referenced historical database. See Section 3.1 for more information on the existing tsunami

historical databases, currently available as standalone and web-available resources. The ITIC

also maintains a library collection of tsunami-related materials, including event data and

observations, and tsunami catalogues (see Section 4.3).

1.3.6. RESEARCH

One of the missions of the ITIC is to encourage tsunami and other research (seismology,

deformation, engineering, social science, marine policy, etc) so as to improve the evaluation of

tsunami threats and reduce the loss of lives and impact from tsunamis. Towards these ends, the

ITIC has for decades maintained a working relationship with the IUGG-Tsunami Commission.

A current interest of the ITIC is to actively encourage initiatives that promote a Research-to-

Operations goal. Many new methodologies using seismic, geophysical, satellite, and

oceanographic data streams are being investigated that have the potential to improve tsunami

monitoring and warning services. However, pure research results may not meet be ready for

simple transition, or easy to use as real-time, operational tools that can provide good results in

seconds and tens of minutes. The ITIC would like to seek ways in which to facilitate more

active develop of operational tools.

Potential areas in which recent research advances are slowly transitioning into operational use

include better and faster methods for:

• magnitude estimation, rupture, and earthquake ‘nowcasting,’ including array and

hydroacoustric methods

• Global Positioning System and other deformation monitoring to quickly estimate

earthquake-triggered displacement

• Tsunami forecasting to provide estimates of inundation and run-up along specific

coastal shores

Research is also needed to support preparedness and mitigation, such as in:

• Paleotsunami studies as a means for extending back in time tsunami historical records;

• Better understanding of the ways in which people respond, or do not respond correctly

to warnings

• Design guidance for tsunami-resistant structures, especially for evacuation shelters and

considering that seismic shaking may also be present

See Section 1.4.1 for more information on the relationship of IUGG-TC.

Additionally, prior to the 2004 IO tsunami, the IOC ICG/PTWS and IUGG-TC had co-

sponsored many workshops and other tsunami meetings. Traditionally, the PTWS and IUGG-

TC co-sponsor a meeting just prior to the ICG (every 2 years) with the goal of bringing

international tsunami scientists to the host country and region, thereby increasing tsunami

awareness and providing opportunities for scientific networking on regional tsunami interests.

Some of the recent co-sponsored meetings have been:

• International Workshop: Tsunami Warning Beyond 2000: I. Theory, Practice and



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Plans, Seoul, Korea 30 September - 2 Oct 1999 (prior to ITSU-XVII)

• International Workshop: Tsunami Warning Beyond 2000: II. Long-term Tsunami Risk Calculation and Hazard Assessment, Moscow, Russia, June 2000 (after ITSU-XVII)

• International Workshop: Tsunami Mitigation Beyond 2000: III. Practical Methods of

Tsunami Mitigation, Cartagena, Colombia, 5-6 Oct 2001 (prior to ITSU-XVIII)

• International Workshop: Tsunamis in the South Pacific – Research Towards

Preparedness and Mitigation, Wellington, New Zealand, 25-26 Sept 2003 (prior to

ITSU-XIX)

• Internacional Workshop: Tsunami Hazard Mitigation and Risk Assessment, Santiago,

Chile, 29-30 Sept 2005 (prior to ITSU-XX)

Prior to the ICG/PTWS-XXI, the Australia Bureau of Meteorology sponsored a Pacific Island

Countries Tsunami Warning Planning and Training Workshop, 1-2 May 2006, with the goal of

bringing both PTWS and non-PTWS countries together to discuss and plan for better mitigation

against tsunamis.

1.3.7. TRAINING

1.3.7.1. ITP-Hawaii

The ITIC Training Programme (ITP)-Hawaii has been conducted by the ITIC nearly annually

since the 1970s. The programme brings participants to Hawaii to learn about the actual

operations of the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System, and in doing so, helps

countries to build and implement their national programmes, and at the same time, establish

familiarity and networking with the PTWC and fellow Member States. Typically, the training

length is two weeks. A specific agenda can be customized according to the needs of

participants. The training is through actual discussions with working organizations involved in

the end-to-end warning system, and includes discussions on preparedness and community

awareness building. The training has traditionally targeted PTWS participants. Upon interest

and with funding, the ITIC is happy to arrange a similar training with focus on PTWS or

IOTWS needs. The ITIC conducted training specifically on tsunami warning operations on the

request of Indonesia in January 2006.

The ITP-Hawaii 2006 in October hosted eight persons from the Pacific representing Tsunami

Warning Focal Points and Disaster Management from American Samoa, Colombia, Ecuador,

Samoa, and Tonga. The area of focus was on Standard Operating Procedures of tsunami

warning centres and emergency operations centres. The Training brought the NMHS and

NDMO organizations of Samoa and Tonga together, and its high value was a strong motivating

reason for deciding to also bring NMHS and NDMO officials together for this PTWS Tsunami

Warning Operations Seminar, 2-3 April 2007.

1.3.7.2. ITP-International

Since 2003, the ITIC has also supported an in-country training programme known as its ITP-

International programme. Under this, an expert(s) are available to provide training on request

by Member States on any topic of their need. The ITP-International is conducted as resources

allow, and there is no minimum or maximum number of trainings conducted per year. Training

length is usually 1 week or more.

In recent years, the ITIC has organized, supported, or participated in the following:

• 2005, November (Philippines), sponsored by PHIVOLCS, IASPEI, IAVCEI, IOC

PTWS – Tsunami Modeling, Sources, Propagation, and Inundation, 2 weeks

• 2006, May (Malaysia) and June (Belgium), sponsored by IOC - Tsunami Modeling –

Course I – Sources and Propagation, 2 weeks, 2 session on same content



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• 2006, April – August – Seismology and Tsunami Warning – Sri Lanka, Indonesia,

Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, national and regional participants hosted Met Svc or in

Thailand (NDWC), sponsored by IOC and USGS, 1 week each (see 1.3.7.3)

• 2006, 10-22 July, The International Sismologêa and Numerical Simulation of

Tsunamis, Training Course, Guayaquil, Ecuador, 2 weeks

• 2006, August (Sri Lanka DMC) - Tsunami Warning Procedures and Protocols – Sri

Lanka, sponsored by IOC, 1 day

• 2007, 2-3 April, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, sponsored by IOC PTWS, WMO RA V,

SOPAC, SPREP, PTWS Tsunami Warning Operations Seminar (and Action Planning),

2 days

• 2007 (planned), various funding, including Regional Trust Fund, UNDP, USA, IOC

PTWS – Standard Operating Procedures for End-to-End Tsunami Warning – ESCAP

region, and including Mauritius, Mozambique, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives,

Pakistan, Vietnam, Philippines, 1 week regional workshop and followup in-country

• 2007, 25-30 June, Seismology and Tsunami Warning for Caribbean region CARIBE-

EWS), organized by USGS and IOC, 1 week (see 1.3.7.3)

1.3.7.3. Seismology and Tsunami Warning

In 2006 and 2007, the ITIC entered into a partnership with the USGS to provide training in

basic seismology and tsunami warning and mitigation operations. These were carried out in

2006 in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Maldives as 1-week long trainings

comprised of lectures and hands-on practicums. International expert lecturers are used with the

goal of also building a large network of expertise in the region. In general, the courses have

provided a brief introduction to the many topics that need to be understood to provide technical

tsunami warnings. The introduction is unfortunately, not as comprehensive or detailed as is

needed, but does provide an introduction to everything as a means as a start of multi-year

efforts at capacity building.

In 2007, the IOC will work with the USGS to continue a regional training in Thailand and

Malaysia. Topics will probably be in Advanced Seismology and Tsunami Standard Operating

Procedures. These courses are open to everyone subject to availability of funding.

In 2007, the ITIC will also work with a similar syllabus to provide Seismology and Tsunami

Warning Training in the Caribbean. Materials developed for the IOTWS will be used in the

Caribbean and modified according to their needs. This training is presently scheduled for the

25-30 June, 2007 in Trinidad.

1.4. INTERNATIONAL INTER-AGENCY COOPERATIONS

1.4.1. TECHNICAL

As an international centre with focus on tsunamis, the ITIC has for many years worked with

tsunami and seismological organizations around the world to heighten awareness in order to

encourage the building of better technical warning systems, and a better prepared public.

Towards these ends, the ITIC has established working relationships with the following

international science organizations:

• WDC-SEG-TSUNAMIS / NGDC – for the collection and archiving of significant

tsunami events and building of a global, high-quality, referenced database, including

both runups, wave and earthquake observations, and also sea level mareograms.

• IUGG-Tsunami Commission – for the encouragement of tsunami research,

organization of post-tsunami international tsunami surveys to collect perishable data to

improve hydrodynamic models and develop tsunami-resistant engineering guidelines,



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co-sponsorship of tsunami workshops to highlight issue of common priority and also to

bring tsunami science to countries through pre-ICG/PTWS workshops. ITIC and

NGDC work together with IUGG-TC.

• US Geological Survey / IRIS Global Seismic Network (GSN) / Federation of

Digital Broadband Seismographic Networks (FDSN) – for the cooperation to install

and support real-time continuous waveform data streams that are essential for tsunami

warning monitoring. Installation of high-quality, broadband stations (STS-1, or STS-2

or equivalent), and free and open data sharing are essential for issuing timely warnings

since seismic waves travel more than 40 times faster than tsunami waves. The USGS

provides both earthquake monitoring on 7x24 basis, and also provides infrastructure

through which the GSN data is made available. The FDSN is the overarching

international coordination organization to which the ITIC hopes every country

contributing to seismic monitoring will join.

• University of Hawaii Sea Level Center (UHSLC) / IOC Global Sea Level

Observing System Group of Experts Chair (GLOSS GE) – as a resource supporting

and installing sea level stations in the IOTWS since 2005, for the continued efforts

over that last decades with the Pacific through numerous programmes, and as a

resource for IOTWS and PTWS Sea Level Working Groups for data collection

platforms and station configurations, transmission arrangements and standards, and

data archiving of GLOSS stations.

1.4.2. REGIONAL

On a Regional Scale, the ITIC has established the following working relationships. These have

been especially important as working partners in the last two years. These include:

• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – as a long-standing

intergovernmental organization for Southeast Asia, the ITIC, on behalf of the PTWS

and IOTWS of the IOC, has established cooperation with the ASEAN Committee on

Science and Technology, Sub-Committee on Meteorology and Geophysics (COST /

SCMG) to work together with ASEAN Member States to improve tsunami awareness

and mitigation. The cooperation presently is focused on capacity building partnering

and invited participation to meetings related to tsunami warning and mitigation.

• Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) – for the building of

stronger tsunami national response of Pacific Island Countries within the context of

multi-hazard early warning. The ITIC has co-organized workshops in the South and

North Pacific in 2004 and 2006, respectively, to build awareness and identify needs

and requirements. In April 2007, the ITIC will partner with WMO RA V, SOPAC, and

SPREP to hold a PTWS Tsunami Warning Operations Seminar hosted by Malaysia

Meteorological Department. The goal of the Seminar is to bring NMS and NDMO

together to learn, discuss, and build consensus for action.

• Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) – for building community awareness

through the development of materials and processes of preparedness, and as an

information resource for tsunami mitigation countermeasures of Japan. The ITIC

assisted the ADRC in the development of a Tsunami Textbook and Teachers Guide for

Grades 4 to 6 in Thailand in 2006. The ITIC regularly highlights materials developed

by ADRC that can be distributed to Member States and the public as best practice

examples.

• Asian Broadcasting Union (ABU) – for building better understanding of tsunamis and

end-to-end tsunami warning processes and the interpretations of these alerts by the



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media.

1.4.3. UNITED NATIONS

Within the scope of United Nations organizations, UNESCO and IOC have established

working relations. In the last two years since the Sumatra tsunami, the ITIC has built further

stronger relationships with the following organizations, especially for the building of the

downstream component of end-to-end tsunami warning

• ISDR – for the building of national platforms to support disaster risk reduction within

the Hyogo Framework for Action. The ITIC partnered with the ISDR Platform for the

Promotion of Early Warning (PPEW) in 2005 to sponsor two high level Study Tours of

Japan and Hawaii to bring IOTWS countries (tsunami warning and disaster

management) to learn about existing, mature tsunami warning systems. The ITIC and

ISDR Media Relations and the Asia and the Pacific Office continue to cooperate on

increasing tsunami awareness through the development of a computer tsunami hazard

simulation game (Stop Disaster!, http://www.stopdisastersgame.org), and involvement

in media awareness workshops with the Asian Broadcasting Union.

• WMO – for the building of capacity of National Meteorological Services (NMS) as the

Tsunami Warning Focal Points for the IOTWS, and for the use of the GTS as a means

of transmitting tsunami advisories and sea level data. The NMS also have

responsibility for helping the public to understand their products, especially through

awareness building in a multi-hazard framework. The ITIC continues to work directly

with Member States NMSs, and also with WMO headquarters as the overarching

global coordinating body since ITIC’s activities currently span several oceanic regions.

• UNDP – for the strengthening of end-to-end early warning capacity at the country

level. In 2006, the ITIC began working with the UNDP Regional Programme and

Indonesia Country Office to strengthen Standard Operating Procedures of Tsunami

Warning and Tsunami Emergency Response (See Sections 1.3.7 and 2). This

collaborative assistance emphasizes the continuum of early warning from detection and

evaluation to evacuation and return-when-safe operations. The UNDP and ITIC will

continue to partner in other countries in the IOTWS region as funding becomes

available.

• IFRC – for helping in their efforts at the community and household level to build

awareness or be involved in early warning. The IOC in general has expertise which

covers the detection component of early warning. The ITIC bridges that gap by

providing competency, through its staffing and networking partners, from the technical

to the preparedness, education, and awareness aspects.

• ESCAP – for engaging both in the emphasis of procedures and protocols as important

for early warning success, and for the inclusion of space networks as a potential source

of new information and data to build better preparedness and possibly quicker and

more effective response.

2. 2007 CAPACITY BUILDING FOCUS: END-TO-END TSUNAMI EARLY WARNING

The unseen part of the post-disaster recovery process is often the early warning system. This

consists of the early detection, evaluation, and alert of vulnerable populations in advance of the

hazard’s impact, and the building up of preparedness programmes by governments for

emergency response to save lives, and in-advance structural and non-structural mitigations to

minimize the impact of the hazard before it next hits. This raising of awareness and



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engagement in active preparedness must be sustained forever since tsunamis are unpredictable,

yet unavoidable, but are knowingly infrequent based on historical records. Furthermore,

although tsunami warning centres can provide early notifications, we know that a perfect

warning will be useless if people do not know what to do when the emergency hits, and for this,

awareness and preparedness by the country and most essentially are the community level are

essential.

2.1. ORGANIZATIONS

To achieve the most efficient and well-coordinated early warning, the ITIC advocates the

development of very clear taskings for the Tsunami Warning Centre, which should evaluate the

threat and provide the warning if there is a threat, and the Disaster Management Office or

Emergency Operations Centre, which should receive the warning, immediately evaluate and

translate it into a public action. Both must work closely together to achieve a seamless success.

2.2. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS

To deliver the timeliest warnings, it is important for every organization involved to be able to

act fast and decisively, based on best scientific information, without confusion. Organizations

and staff must know what to do, and in essence, to act nearly automatically following pre-

planned protocols and procedures. These standard operating procedures, which describe agreed

on steps by institutions used in coordinating who, what, when, where, and how a tsunami early

warning should be carried out and responded to, should have been developed before the event,

and practiced / exercised so that end-to-end communications are regularly tested and

responsible personnel are familiar with their roles and responsibilities.

Users Guides for Tsunami Warning Systems describe the standard operating procedures of

Tsunami Warning Centre(s) (TWC) regarding their criteria for action and bulletin issuance, the

types and meanings of the bulletins, how and to whom the bulletins are issued, when warnings

are cancelled, and how the system is regularly evaluated or tested to ensure communications

channels are working. Coordination and other interoperability issues should be covered in

Users Guides so that the customers (for example, National Tsunami Warning Focal Points for

the IOTWS Users Guide) know what to expect from whom, and how they should interpret any

differences in message information.

Operations Manuals of TWC describe the standard operating procedures followed by duty staff

for monitoring and evaluating incoming data, the technical methods for analysis and arriving at

the best threat evaluations depending on the location scenarios, the actions taken to issue a

message, and confirm and cancel warnings, and the follow-up post-event actions for

documenting the TWC’s response, as well as the normal, routine requirements to maintain a

fully-capable, always-ready operation.

Emergency Operations Center standard operating procedures include, for example, scenario

flow charts and checklist or scripts which involve the notification of decision-makers and first

responders, criteria for issuing public evacuations or other public safety actions along with the

procedures for enabling the actions including traffic regulation, transportation to safe shelters

and consideration of special needs populations, the engagement and involvement of the media

for information dissemination, and the enabling of contingency plans for lifelines and critical

facility loss of service, business, government, and school closures, and other interruptions.

2.3. STRENGTHENING TSUNAMI WARNING AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE - ITIC SUPPORT

In 2007 and 2008, the ITIC plans to concentrate on the compilation of documents and

development of templates and generic checklists and standard operating procedures for tsunami

warning center and tsunami emergency response. Within the planned capacity building effort,



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Strengthening Tsunami Warning and Emergency Response: Training Workshops on the

Development of Standard Operating Procedures for Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian

Countries, the ITIC will provide guidance materials that are intended to assist countries in

developing better protocols and processes for efficiently and effectively responding to

potentially tsunamigenic events. Within current available resources, and pending additional

resources, the ITIC plans to provide at two IO regional workshops, and at least 7 in-country

direct consultations.

The support by ITIC to the PTWS and IOTWS countries starting in 2007 will build upon the

materials developed over the last six months in Indonesia, where the ITIC and UNDP have

been assisting in improving SOPs for end-to-end tsunami warning. This assistance brought

practicing experts to work directly with Indonesia agencies, and has provided examples and

templates, as well as how-to experience. The ITIC will continue to work with Indonesia, and

plans to extend similar assistance, subject to funding, to the PTWS and IOTWS region.

The ITIC is now further compiling examples, creating templates, and developing how-to

written guidance that it hopes will help countries understand and develop their own national

protocols and processes; the long experiences and know-how of Japan and the USA in tsunami

warning and emergency response will be used as best practice examples. The goal of the ITIC

is to provide content, examples, and materials that are consistent and developed by

experienced/practicing experts. The materials will focus on the minimum requirements, but

provide examples of mature systems. It will be the intention of the ITIC to use well-experience

and/or practicing experts on missions that can share their working experiences and best

practices. ITIC intends these materials to be a global resource, requiring only a minimum of

customization, and plans to use them in the capacity building activities it is involved in in the

IOTWS, PTWS, CARIBE-EWS.

3. TSUNAMI WARNING INFORMATION TOOLS

This section summarizes new and existing information tools for tsunami warning centres and

other organizations with early warning responsibilities. All of the tools are available without

cost to the responsible agencies. Please contact ITIC for more information.

3.1. TSUNAMI HISTORICAL DATABASES

Currently, there are two recognized global historic tsunami databases. One is maintained by

the World Data Center for Solid Earth Geophysics Boulder / NOAA’s National Geophysical

Data Center (WDC/NOAA, P. Dunbar, [email protected], and S. McLean,

[email protected]), and the other is maintained by the Novosibirsk Tsunami Laboratory

of the Institute of Computational Mathematics and Mathematical Geophysics, Russian

Academy of Sciences (NTL/ICMMG, V.Gusiakov, [email protected]). In the late 1970s, the

WDC/NOAA began compiling and publishing tsunami information, and in the early 1980s,

produced a digital database of tsunami events and run-ups from these published catalogs. In

1991, the NTL/ICMMG began active compilation, starting with the WDC/NOAA database,

that provided access and visualization in a stand-alone desktop PC application (ITDB). Both

include tsunami event and run-up databases, and are mostly complete and referenced, but there

are differences in the inclusion of events, some discrepancies validity in the primary data, and

differences in the extent of secondary information included in each. The most recent status on

the efforts to merge these databases into one highest-quality database is reported in

IOC/PTWS/XXI/11, Summary Report on Global Tsunami Database, May 2006. A summary is

provided in brief below.

At the ICG/ITSU-XIX (2003) the ITIC, WDC/NOAA, and NTL/ICMMG were tasked to

implement a one Global Tsunami Database (GTDB, now ITDB), with the official copy of the

database housed and maintained at the WDC/NOAA where data could be accessed via web-



page 18

based forms and ArcIMS interactive maps (http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/hazard/tsu.shtml). In

accordance with ICSU/WDC and NOAA policy, the WDC Global Historic Tsunami Database

would be public domain and free of copyright. The offline, stand-alone application (WinITDB

graphic shell) would continue to be enhanced and maintained by NTL/ICMMG, and also be

freely available; copies of this software are available from the ITIC. The NTL/ICMMG

database is available online at http://tsun.sscc.ru/tsulab/On_line_Cat.htm

At the ICG/ITSU-XX (2005) due to the vast scope of the merging project, the ITIC,

WDC/NOAA, and NTL/ICMMG redefined the plan to focus on the verification of the most

significant tsunami events (event causing > 5 deaths or a maximum runup of > 5 meters).

Verification is to include data on the date, time, location, magnitude of the earthquake (if

applicable), maximum event runup, and effects. The effects – including the total number of

fatalities, injuries, houses destroyed, and damage – are to be listed separately in the databases

whenever possible for the source event and the tsunami. Verification of all data describing the

runups associated with these events would not be done until the descriptions of the most deadly

events are first reconciled. A list of the 270 “significant” tsunami events has been established.

As of May 2006, the WDC/NOAA historical tsunami database contained 1,488 valid events

(not erroneous or meteorological) and 7,838 runup observations (not doubtful). The distribution

of causes for these events is 86% earthquakes, 5% volcanoes, 3% landslides, 5% combination,

and less than 1% unknown. These data are available on the WDC/NOAA website via forms-

based interfaces and interactive tool.

In 2006, the NTL/ICMMG) focused on further updating and data verification for 11 of the

largest historically known events (trans-oceanic tsunamis) responsible for great material

damage and most of the fatalities. In total, these 11 events have 2930 run-up values provided

with geographical coordinates of observational sites that are almost 30% of all run-up entries

currently available in the NTL/ICMMG database. In response to the recommendation of the

IUGG Tsunami Commission business meeting (Hania, Greece, July 2005) NTL/ICMMG

undertook additional efforts for summarizing measurements collected in the field surveys of the

2004 Sumatra tsunami and their input into the runup data file of the database. As of May 2006,

this file contained 577 run-up entries for the December 26, 2004 Sumatra tsunami measured

along the coast of 11 countries in the Indian Ocean region; this is the largest set of run-up

measurements for a single tsunamigenic event in the database.

A comparison of event data for the 11 events indicated many differences in the magnitudes and

maximum runups, as well as major differences in number of fatalities reported. WDC/NOAA

and NTL/ICMMB are comparing the original source materials to resolve the differences in

these events.

WDC/NOAA and NTL/ICMGG also continue to compiling databases related to tsunamis, and

to improve their tsunami database tools. The WDC/NOAA effort includes significant volcanic

eruptions that include similar event effect information (deaths, damage, injury, etc.) that link to

the tsunami and earthquake databases if there is a relation. The WDC/NOAA and ITIC have

also collaborated to distribute tsunami travel time software. The NTL/ICMGG effort includes a

compilation of meteorite or other events that may have generated tsunamis, as well as enhanced

visualization graphics and quick tsunami propagation modeling tools that add to its stand-alone

ability to calculate and display tsunami travel time contours.

3.2. TSUNAMI TRAVEL TIME SOFTWARE

The ITIC, with NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center, as the World Data Center (WDC)

for Solid Earth Geophysics - Tsunamis, have collaborated to provide, free of charge, tsunami

travel time calculation and display software to government organizations involved in providing

tsunami warning and mitigation services.



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The Tsunami Travel Time (TTT) software was developed by Dr. Paul Wessel (Geoware,

http://www.geoware-online.com), and is used by the NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center

for its operations calculations. Map graphics are made using the open-source Generic Mapping

Tools (GMT) developed by Drs. Paul Wessel and Walter Smith (http://gmt.soest.hawaii.edu/).

The ITIC has purchased the TTT license to permit widespread free distribution. In this

distribution, the NGDC has provided display tools and sample scripts for running the software

and producing maps that are executed from a PC-Windows command line prompt. It should be

noted that the accuracy of the calculations is dependent on the quality of the bathymetric data

that is used; the higher the resolution of the data set, the better the estimate of travel time.

Further information can be found in IOC/IOTWS-IV Information Document xxx, Tsunami

Travel Time (TTT) Software Package, Version 1.0, February 2007, was distributed as part of

the ICG meeting documents.

A technical document, IOC/IOTWS-IV Information Document xxx, Methods for Tsunami

Travel Time Calculation used by PTWC and JMA, Prepared by the ITIC, PTWC, and JMA, was

also distributed describing the differences in calculation methods and reporting of estimated

arrival times by the PTWC and JMA during events. This document is part of the TTT Version

1 release.

3.3. RANET SMS HEADS-UP ALERTS AND RANET NATIONAL TSUNAMI WARNING ALERT CAPABILITY

In an effort to provide quick heads-up information to key national and regional contacts that a

PTWC message has been issued, the ITIC requested in April 2005 to the RANET project to

make available SMS alerts to mobile phones. The SMS tsunami alert is triggered upon

receiving a message from the PTWC. RANET servers securely receive and process messages,

parse the message into SMS format, and then send the alert through its decentralized modem

bank, which is backed up by commercial gateways. This system allows for significant global

coverage. The system also allows two-way communication so that a receiving mobile phone

can acknowledge receipt of the message or provide other information back to the system.

This SMS system is not meant to:

• replace existing and formal/official means of communicating alerts or critical information.

• become the sole means of receiving critical alert information – warnings and

communication should come through a ‘layered’ approach.

• be a mass-public communication system. The SMS system is intended for a select group of

national official and disaster managers, or members of international organizations, who

need to be notified when information from regional centers is made available.

To meet the needs of National Tsunami Warning Centres for issuing national alerts to local

governments, the ITIC, starting several years ago with discussions in the Pacific and with

implementation of a pilot urgently in the IOTWS, facilitated the use of RANET infrastructure

in Indonesia.

RANET is working with the Indonesia BMG to disseminate national tsunami warnings through

high-priority uplink, broadcast, and timely receipt of messages through RANET-reserved

channels of the Worldspace AsiaStar Satellite; Indonesia-specific warning messages are

captured by low-cost receivers and computer terminal to be placed in local government

emergency offices. These services are available without any new operational expense as part

of RANET's mission to make hydro-meteorological and climate-related information available

to rural populations for purposes of development and disaster reduction. The RANET tsunami

warning distribution system was installed and tested during Indonesia's recent drills in



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December 2006 in Bali and other locations. Indonesia and RANET are partnering to provide

systems to local governments to ensure that there are multiple pathways and dissemination

redundancy for BMG messages.

RANET has been endorsed as a valued complementary method for information dissemination

by Region V (Pacific-Asia) of the World Meteorological Organization. See RA V/WG-PIW-

04/Doc. 5.2(4) (4.XI.2005), Complementary Systems, especially EMWIN and RANET,

Working Group on Planning and Implementation of the WWW in Region V (December, 2005).

Those interested in receiving the SMS Alert or other RANET services should contact the

RANET Project ([email protected]), NOAA NWS Pacific Region Ed Young

([email protected]), or the ITIC Director ([email protected]).

3.4. REAL-TIME EARTHQUAKE DISPLAY (RTED)

Starting in August 2005, the ITIC announced the availability from the USGS of a display tool

that provides active monitoring of near real-time seismicity as reported to and by the USGS

National Earthquake Information Center. The Display, known as the California Integrated

Seismic Network (CISN), or the RTED, includes a map of epicenters with various data layer

overlays, listing of both automatic and verified earthquake hypocenters, and a gateway to

additional products such as the USGS ShakeMap, Felt Reports, Focal Mechanisms, Waveform

Images, and Tsunami Warnings. The software architecture include a client GUI known as the

CISN display, a QuakeWatch Server module, and a messaging middleware supporting an XML

messaging schema. The application is customizeable with GIS mapping capabilities, and

includes alert and paging features that can be set by the user according to their own triggering

thresholds and earthquake monitoring regions. The original customers for this tool are US

emergency managers, and other decision makers who need basic information to support public

safety, emergency response, and loss mitigation. The RTED passively, but continuously,

receives all NEIC earthquake information globally, so that users can see the current seismicity

at a glance without having to refresh computer screens or web URLs.

The ITIC encourages TWFP and other stakeholders needing real-time earthquake information

to download and install this tool either in their operations room or on their desktop computer.

Requirements are only an internet connection. The software is available free of charge, and

there is no limit to the number of users that can install the tool. The ITIC is serving as the

administrator for tsunami warning institutions, so please contact ITIC for the software.

3.5. TSUNAMI BULLETIN BOARD

The ITIC Tsunami Bulletin Board (TBB) is an email list serve information to more than 360

members in the tsunami field. PTWC, WC/ATWC, and soon JMA bulletins are posted

immediately to the TBB. Membership is open to any tsunami professional. To subscribe,

please contact the ITIC Director. The TBB uses Lyris ListManager V.7.0 software maintained

by the USA NOAA National Weather Service

The purpose of the list serve is to provide an open, objective scientific forum for the posting

and discussion of news and information relating to tsunamis and tsunami research. It is not

open to the media or the general public. The ITIC is providing this list serve to tsunami

researchers and other technical professionals for the purpose of facilitating the widespread

dissemination of information on tsunami events, current research investigations, and

announcements for upcoming meetings, publications, and other tsunami-related materials. All

members of the TBB are welcome to contribute. Messages are immediately broadcast to all

members without modification.



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The TBB expects that members will carry out scientific discussions in an objective and

respectful manner. The TBB is intended for discussion, announcements and to assist those

seeking information not readily available elsewhere. It is not intended for advertising or

activities of a commercial nature.

The contributions to the Tsunami Bulletin Board are the sole opinions of the individuals

providing them. The ideas are not the opinion of the ITIC, nor are they presented to be facts.

The ITIC posts the information as is, without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, and

is not liable for its accuracy, for mistakes, errors, or omissions of any kind, nor for any loss or

damage caused by a user's reliance on information obtained from these postings.

3.6. SEA LEVEL

3.6.1. OPERATIONAL TWC DATA DECODE AND DISPLAY

At the request of the ITIC, the PTWC has developed and made available in November 2005

TideTool to provide end users with an operational tool for the real-time continuous tsunami

monitoring in the Indian Ocean. The tool provide the ability to decode, remove tidal signals,

display, and manipulate sea level data broadcast over the Global Telecommunications System

of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The software utilizes the Tcl/Tk software

package, specifically the BLT extension. Tcl/Tk is an open source, platform-independent

software package offering a powerful shell programming language and graphical toolkit.

Its primary users would be National Meteorological and Hydrological Service (NMHS), or

other agencies with a downlink from the GTS or to a data file containing those data formatted

in a similar manner. It was initially tested under Linux, Windows 2000, and Windows XP

environments in Indonesia and Malaysia when first distributed in November 2005. The

primary use of this software is as an operational programme run by tsunami warning centres, or

other operational centres, who need to continuously monitor sea levels. Mouse-clickable

functions include the expansion of the time series, and measurement of the arrival time, wave

height and wave period from the incoming signal.

Please contact Stuart Weinstein of PTWC ([email protected]) or ITIC

([email protected]) for more information or sign-up.

3.6.2. ODINAFRICA SEA LEVEL MONITORING

At the Meeting on the Development of the ODINAFRICA Sea Level Data Facility (IOC/INF-

1227), IOC Project Office for IODE, Ostend, Belgium, 29-30 March 2006, the PTWC shared

its expertise in real-time sea level monitoring by demonstrating TideTool and developing on-

the-spot a new, enhanced tool for the real-time regional monitoring for all IOTWS stations

(http://iodeweb2.vliz.be/tsunami/).

Participants was agreed that the development of the ODINAFRICA Sea Level Data Facility

was a feasible undertaking that would assist the objectives of ODINAFRICA in various ways:

monitor the stations (enabling fast remedial action if stations fail)

develop real-data display,

develop sea level data products such as tide tables

provide a back-up to the centres monitoring tsunamis and other marine related hazards.

It was noted that the ODINAFRICA sea level data facility should be considered together with

national capability to monitor sea level. As such the TideTool was an essential tool that should

be distributed to all ODINAFRICA partners to enable them to monitor their national stations. It

was hoped that the ease with which the stations could be monitored using TideTool and the

ODINAFRICA sea level data facility would bring station operators who operate stations that



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are currently not part of the GLOSS/ODINAFRICA network to join the network.

It was further noted that the planned “Global Tide Stations Web Service (GTSWS) Pilot

Project” (See IOC/INF-1226, See Section 3.5.3 Sea Level Station Metadata Web Service)

would contribute to the ODINAFRICA sea level data facility as it would provide up-to-date

metadata for the stations which are essential to ensure correct decoding and display of data (and

avoiding erroneous conversions due to unreported modifications of equipment or transmission

mode). It was therefore recommended that the “Global Tide Stations Web Service (GTSWS)

Pilot Project” team works closely with PTWC and the PDC/IODE/VLIZ team that will develop

the ODINAFRICA sea level data facility web application.

Presently, this facility is enable through the web at

http://www.vliz.be/vmdcdata/iode/blist.php?showmap=t

The Facility receives GTS data through the Belgium Meteorological Service, and utilizes the

TideTool codes as a base of its sea level monitoring service. The web site shows information

on station status, provides real-time data display, and station metadata. The IODE Project has

informed the ITIC that external support will be required for the maintenance and updates since

presently funding only covers African stations. Thus, the ITIC requests IOTWS Member states

to consider its usefulness, and if yes, then to make this request and tool requirement known to

the IOC.

Please contact Peter Pissierssens ([email protected]) or Mika Odido

([email protected]), or ITIC ([email protected]) for more information.

3.6.3. SEA LEVEL STATION METADATA WEB SERVICE

As sea level stations are continuing to be upgraded and new stations installed to meet tsunami

monitoring requirements, the ITIC has noted that it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep

informed and up-to-date on the available stations and their data sampling and transmission

characteristics. This is not only true in the Indian Ocean where the number has risen from 0 in

December 2004 to more than 41 stations that are available through the GTS as of March 2007,

but also for the Pacific, Caribbean, and Mediterranean where upgrades and new installations

are already happening to support tsunami warning.

Currently, information used to describe water level station specifications is distributed among

databases held by multiple agencies, institutions and organizations. Integration of the

information contained in these various databases would greatly enhance the ability to access

and use sea level data. With this goal in mind, the ITIC partnered starting in 2005 with the

NOAA Pacific Services Center / East West Center (PSC/EWC), Pacific Disaster Center (PDC),

University of Hawaii Sea Level Center (UHSLC), NOAA National Geophysical Data Centre,

and NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to explore ways in which improved seamless

integration could be accomplished.

At the Meeting on the Development of a Sea Level Metadata Web Service Demonstrator

Project (IOC/INFO-1226), IOC Project Office for IODE, Ostend, Belgium, 28-29 March 2006,

a Concept Paper for a Sea level Metadata Web Service Demonstrator Project was endorsed.

The ideas were presented to the ODINAFRICA-III Project Management Committee (Ostend,

Belgium, 24-26 April 2006), the ICG/PTWS-XXI Session (Melbourne, Australia, 3-5 May

2006), and the next ICG/IOTWS (Bali, Indonesia, 31 July to 4 August 2006), who all indicated

interest. It was further proposed that the ITIC (in collaboration with PDC) will develop the

demonstration project subject to available resources, and that partners are invited at the levels

of (i) Sea level station operators; (ii) Web service host(s).

The initiative is currently led by PDC and involves the development of a prototype Wave and

Water Level (WWL) Web Service supporting tide station system databases, dissemination of



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message products and related sea level data products developed by the Pacific Tsunami

Warning Center (PTWC). As of February 2007, the web service

(http://www.pdc.org/pride/ptwc/stations.kml) is available for demonstration using the Google

Earth client application. The viewer enables visual access to a map showing sea level stations

around the world, and mouse-selectable station characteristics shown in a pop-up menu.

Wherever possible, the pop-up balloon in Google Earth includes links to more detailed

information, particularly the Wave and Water Level datasets available at the particular station,

including, in some case, real-time data.

The term Web Services describes a standardized way of integrating Web-based applications

using open standards and descriptions over an Internet protocol backbone. It allows for

information exchange without intimate knowledge of the data owner's inner workings using

self-describing documents and interfaces. Web services share business logic, data and

processes through a programmatic interface across a network. Developers can add the Web

service to a GUI (such as a Web page or an executable program) to offer specific functionality

to users. Web services allow different applications from different sources to communicate with

each other without time consuming custom coding, and because all communication is in XML,

Web services are not tied to any one operating system or programming language. Thus, the

basic concept involves establishing XML schemas, pushing this data out to and/or pulling this

data in from multiple provider databases, transforming it, and pushing it out in multiple report

formats through a central client server.

Presently, the PDC, PTWC, and NOAA IDEA Center are working to include the most recent

updates to the database. The ITIC is encouraging all network operators to contribute their

station metadata by 'exposing' it to this pilot Web Service. In this manner, any updates made

by the network operator to his own file will automatically be updated by the Web Service and

be available for viewing by the Google Earth Web Service client application.

For more information and to contribute to this Service, please contact the NOAA IDEA Center

([email protected]), PDC (Uday Kari, [email protected]), PTWC (Stuart Weinstein,

[email protected]) or the ITIC ([email protected]).

3.6.4. OTHER AVAILABLE – UHSLC, NTC (Australia), NDBC (DART)

Since January 2005, the UHSLC has played a key role in the upgrade and installation of coastal

sea level stations to support tsunami monitoring. The UHSLC is working in close cooperation

with national agencies and sub-regional organizations to install and maintain the stations. The

stations have standard installation and configurations, with a data collection platform and

satellite transmission of at least 1-min average data and 15-min transmission frequency to the

GTS. The data are received by the Interim TWCs. The UHSLC maintains a non-operational

web site http://ilikai.soest.hawaii.edu/uhslc/IOTWSTATUS/IOTWSTATUS.html that provides

station metadata and access to static time series in real time. Please contact Mark Merrifield

([email protected]) or Bernie Kilonsky ([email protected]) for more information

The National Tidal Center (NTC) of the Australia Bureau of Meteorology is upgrading and

installing a number of stations to support tsunami monitoring in the Indian Ocean and

Southwest Pacific Ocean. At the recommendation of IOTWS and PTWS WG 2, their data are

being uploaded using a CREX (Character form for the Representation and EXchange of

meteorological data) format. This WMO transmission format was agreed upon with the intent

of setting a common standard for representation and exchange of observational data. Currently,

in the Indian Ocean, and very commonly in the Pacific Ocean, there are a myriad of different

formats that are specific to the different network operators; these formats, each requiring a

different decoding algorithm, have accumulated over the years to the point where maintenance

is time-consuming, tedious, and error-prone. The NTC will be transmitting all of its data over

the GTS. Near real-time series plots (pdf format) are also available for viewing at a password-



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protected web site http://www.bom.gov.au/reguser/by_user/bomw0418

Please inquire to the NTC, BOM for the password (Rick Bailey, AusTWS Project Director,

[email protected])

Presently, 1 NOAA DART-II deep ocean sensor system is deployed with data to be available to

all countries through the GTS. Pending rebroadcast and retooling of routing tables from the

XXX Data Facility in Wallops island, USA, all countries should be able to use TideTool to

view the data. Currently, all NOAA DART data are available in real-time from

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/dart.shtml This site provides access to both plots of the time series

and download of the actual data.

4. PUBLICATIONS AND AWARENESS TOOLS

4.1. AWARENESS MATERIALS

The ITIC has compiled a number of basic tsunami awareness materials to support the needs of

government agencies, emergency managers and educators. Tsunami, The Great Waves (IOC),

Tsunami Warning! (IOC), Earthquakes and Tsunamis textbooks (Chile and IOC), the Tsunami

Safety Poster and Flyers (IOC) are provided in formats to allow them to be modified to meet

the needs, cultures, and languages of local communities. These files can be customized and

translated; we ask that you retain the logos and attributes to the UNESCO IOC ITIC, but you

may add your agency information, and print and distribute the revised materials. Upon

modification, please provide the ITIC with electronic and print copies of your revision. Your

sharing will enable us to share your work with others.

All files are available by CD from ITIC on request, and most are available for download from

the ITIC web site at http://ioc3.unesco.org/itic/categories.php?category_no=75

http://www.tsunamiwave.info under Products and Services, Public Info Tools and Products, or

from the PTWS web site (Awareness//Education Materials) at

http://ioc3.unesco.org/ptws/awareness_education_materials.htm

Newly revised editions of the following products are available:

• Tsunami, The Great Waves, UNESCO-IOC, IOC Brochure 2006-2, Paris, UNESCO,

2006. This booklet was revised to include information about the IOC ICGs. Revised

editions are planned in French and Spanish.

• Tsunami Glossary, UNESCO-IOC, IOC INF-1221. Paris, UNESCO, 2006. The

Glossary was updated to include information on the recent establishment of global

intergovernmental coordination groups for tsunami warning and mitigation, and to

include more modern definition of terms. Revised editions are planned in French and

Spanish.

• Tsunami Warning!, UNESCO-IOC, IOC INF-1223, Paris, UNESCO, 2006. In 2006,

these were customized using a Sumatra source and translated in partnership with the

Tsunami Warning Focal Points in Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

• Tsunami Safety Poster. English posters (11x17-inch size as customizeable, 17x22-inch

as hard copy) are available. French version of customizable poster available. The

standard set of information recommended for inclusion is:

What a tsunami is? How do tsunami act when they come ashore?

What are natural tsunami warning signals?

What should you do when a tsunami warning is issued?

Where do I find out more tsunami information (national, local)?

• Tsunami Safety Flyers (8.5 x 11-inch), available in English and Tongan

Tsunami Preparedness

Sensing a Tsunami

Tsunami Safety Rules



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Tsunami Safety for Boaters

• Earthquake and Tsunamis. Textbook and Teachers Guides, grades pre-K through 12.

UNESCO-IOC, SHOA/IOC/ITIC, 1997, revised 2003, original versions in Spanish.

• Tsunami for 4th to 6th

grades. Textbook and Teachers Guide. ADRC, 2006. The ITIC

provided technical guidance for this Grade 4-6, which was developed for and translated

into Thai.

• TsunamiTeacher. Global resources of reliable and verified materials related to tsunami

warning and mitigation with training modules for the media, educators, and the

public/private sector. Available in English and Indonesian, and planned for Thai,

Bangladeshi, Spanish, French, Arabic.

• Tsunami Awareness Kit, An Information Resource for the Pacific Island. Designed for

unique needs of the Pacific Islands, but applicable to most geographic areas. Targets

informational needs of the general public, disaster managers, and government officials,

as well some of the needs of businesses and schools.

• Surviving a Tsunami, Lessons from Chile, Hawaii, and Japan. Recounts tsunami

experiences and lessons learned from tsunami survivors, USGS Circular 1187 (English),

USGS Circular 1218 (Spanish), rev 2006, available in English

4.2. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

4.2.1. TSUNAMITEACHER

The ITIC, with assistance from the Pacific Disaster Center and the aid of a Science Education

Writer developed the TsunamiTeacher Resources Kit of authoritative and reliable materials to

support tsunami warning and mitigations (info at http://www.tsunamiwave.info). The tool is

housed as a dynamic electronic resource available through the web

(http://www.tsunamiteacher.org), and as a DVD of offline materials. Phase I was completed in

mid-September, and is available for widespread distribution and duplication. Requests can be

made to the ITIC, or to the IOC Tsunami Unit in Paris.

4.2.2. Tsunami Awareness Kit, Pacific Islands

Recognizing the role that public awareness and education programs play in reducing

vulnerability, the Pacific Disaster Center, South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission

(SOPAC), and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's International Coordination

Group for the Tsunami Warning System (ICG/ITSU) in the Pacific collaborated on the

development of a “Tsunami Awareness Kit”—one of many hazard awareness efforts currently

underway in the global community to help protect lives and property from future catastrophes.

The kit is a collection of resources forming the basis of a public awareness program aimed at

strengthening mechanisms for sharing information, knowledge, experiences, and sound

practices. These resources can be used to brief stakeholders, government and community

leaders, as well as communities on the potential impacts and hazards that result from tsunamis.

The kit provides information that communities can use to both respond to tsunamis and to

reduce their vulnerability.

The Tsunami Awareness Kit (TAK) is composed of technical, visual, and practical (useable

“off the shelf”) awareness materials—including maps, booklets, checklists, brochures,

reference materials, visualization products, and movie clips. These materials are offered in a

variety of formats to provide flexibility for display and dissemination purposes (e.g. for

brochures, posters, booklets, digital presentations, or for use on television). Many kit materials

are applicable to the entire Pacific Islands region, while others (such as maps, event history,

emergency response and warning procedures) are country-specific. The sample TAK kit

developed for Fiji provides an initial template to demonstrate the “country-specific” aspects.

All materials—aside from those with duplication restrictions—are provided on CD-ROM in

both hardcopy and softcopy versions of the kit. More information is available from



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http://www.pdc.org/PDCNewsWebArticles/2005TAK/index.html

4.2.3. ITIC LIBRARY AND NEWSLETTER

The ITIC maintains a library of tsunami-related materials. The ITIC library’s goal is to collect

and maintain a varied and useful collection of materials for future researchers. The location

and use of materials to satisfy the many different types of information requests remains an

objective of the collection. Collection growth is based on donations and purchases and

augmented with web mining and continued indexing of tsunami newsletters, conference

proceedings, and articles from journals, newspapers and magazines. The database currently

contains over 7000 records. The Collection is searchable online from

http://ioc3.unesco.org/itic/contents.php?id=281

The ITIC Tsunami Newsletter is published quarterly. The Newsletter, published since 1968,

provides a summary of tsunami events, meetings, workshops, and other tsunami-related

materials. Focus is the Pacific, but brief summaries are provided for the activities of the ITIC

and IOC globally. All issues are available in Adobe PDF-format at the ITIC web site at

http://ioc3.unesco.org/itic/categories.php?category_no=81

4.2.4. STOP DISASTER! SIMULATION GAME

In the last year, the ITIC has worked with ISDR Media Relations to encourage the development

of a computer tsunami hazard simulation game called Stop Disaster! The Internet-available

game (http://www.stopdisastersgame.org) was released on 1 March 2007, and is aimed at

teaching children how to build safer villages and cities against disasters.

Children will learn how the location and construction materials can make a difference when

disaster strikes and how early warning systems, evacuation plans and education can save lives

and livelihoods. Players have different types of missions to accomplish within a specific

budget and time limit before a simulated hurricane, earthquake, flood, tsunami or wildfire

strikes. The on-line game is an educational tool that contains a number of teacher packages,

fact sheets and videos which will allow children, teachers and parents to further understand the

importance of disaster risk reduction. A multi-language version will be released during a major

event on the International Disaster Reduction Day on 10 October 2007.

5. CONCLUSION

This report is an overview of ITIC activities, products, and services related to the PTWS and

IOTWS. In addition since 1965 to continuing support to the PTWS, the ITIC is contributing to

the implementation of tsunami warning and mitigation systems in the Indian Ocean, north-

eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean region. The aim of the ITIC is to provide

materials and training that are consistent over regions.

The ITIC and its staff look forward to providing continued service to the Pacific, and all

nations and regions around the world.