Playas El Coco

On February 18, 2021, the beach community Playas El Coco in the Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, received recognition as Tsunami Ready under the Pilot Community Performance Based Tsunami Recognition Programme being implemented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO/IOC) Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/PTWS). As part of the regional efforts to develop an end-to-end tsunami early warning system, the community fulfilled the Programme’s guidelines; thus empowering its vulnerable population to take effective action in the event of a potential tsunami and save lives. Outputs included the creation of inundation and evacuation maps for Omoa, as well as the provision of signage for evacuation routes, assembly points and tsunami hazard zones. The local authorities also undertook public education, conducted drills, and formulated an emergency operations plan (EOP). The recognition process was conducted under the guidance of the Comisión Nacional de Emergencia and the Sistema Nacional de Monitoreo de Tsunamis (SINAMOT) of the National University of Costa Rica. The Tsunami Ready Programme incorporates risk knowledge assessment, preparedness actions and response planning with recognition being granted upon the satisfactory completion of a verification process confirming fulfilment of the guidelines.

Playas El Coco Documents