World Tsunami Awareness Day 2017

The United Nations designated November 5 as World Tsunami Awareness Day. The day aligns with the International Day for Disaster Reduction (October 13) and the 7 targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction Campaign. For 2017, the aim is to reduce the number of affected people globally by disasters (video). In 2016, theme was effective education and evacuation drills (video) as the key preparedness activities that will save lives from tsunamis. 

Tsunamis have no seasons and they can occur at any time and anywhere - it could be tomorrow, or it could be a 100 of years from now. But, when a tsunami does visit, it can attack in minutes if it is local. Over history, 90% of the deaths have been caused by local tsunamis. So, communities must always  be Tsunami Ready (USA TsunamiReady®, International), and know what to do and where to evacuate to.

World Tsunami Awareness Day

• UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). UNISDR facilitates World Tsunami Awareness Day within the United Nations system.
• United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) coordinates the global tsunami warning and coordination system.

• United Nations Development Program (UNDP).          The UNDP School Tsunami Preparedness and Evacuation Drills Project is supporting school drills in 18 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Click to download TSUNAMI DRILL poster.

• Tsunami Ready - International.  TR-I is a UNESCO IOC performance-based community recognition pilot aimed at building community readiness through preparedness, mitigation, and response planning.  
• US NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Tsunamis are among Earth's most infrequent hazards, but when they do hit they can cause major damage to coastal communities. Globally, 70% of the confirmed tsunami sources have been in the Pacific Ocean, 15% in the Mediterranean Sea, 9% in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, and 6% Indian Ocean. Most were generated by earthquakes and by earthquakes-triggered landslides.

NCEI-ITIC global and regional posters are electronically available. Click to download:

• Tsunami Sources
• Significant Earthquakes 
• Volcanic Eruptions  

• Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and Adjacent Regions (English, Spanish)
• American Samoa / Samoa / Tonga