UNESCO and Partners Train Experts to Keep Pacific and Caribbean Safe from Tsunamis | IOCARIBE OF IOC UNESCO

UNESCO and Partners Train Experts to Keep Pacific and Caribbean Safe from Tsunamis

In August 2023, a special training program took place in Hawaii, focused on protecting countries in the Pacific and Caribbean regions from the threat of tsunamis. This training, known as the ITIC Training Programme on Tsunami Early Warning Systems (ITP-Hawaii), gathered participants from 26 different countries. The participants included experts from tsunami warning centers and emergency response agencies, including from 19 Pacific and five Caribbean Small Island Developing States.

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30 septembre 2023

The training was led by the International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC), which is part of efforts by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO) to ensure a safe ocean for ever-more resilient coastal communities. The goal of the training was to teach these experts about early warning systems for tsunamis and how to plan for the safety of their communities, covering important topics such as the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's tsunami forecast products, creating plans for evacuations in case of tsunamis, and how to take part in the special recognition program from UNESCO that acknowledges communities that are well-prepared for tsunamis, the Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme.

The participants learned from various experts, including from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the University of Hawaii, and the local Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, who introduced important tools used to monitor earthquakes and sea levels, forecast tsunamis, and assess the risk to coastal areas. (Read more)