Ostional

 Tsunami Ready Ceremony and Tsunami Ready Sign.

In May 2017, the community of Ostional, 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 communities fulfilled the Programme’s guidelines; thus empowering its vulnerable population to take effective action in the event of a potential tsunami and save lives. The recognition process was implemented by the Comité Comunal de Emergencia and the National Wildlife Refuge of Ostional 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. Outputs included the creation of inundation and evacuation maps for Ostional, as well as the provision of signage for evacuation routes, assembly points and tsunami hazard zones. The community also undertook extensive public education, conducted drills, and formulated an emergency operations plan (EOP). 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.

Ostional Documents