DBCP-XXI/Doc. 2.2.3, p. 1

WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
______ / INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION (OF UNESCO)
______
DATA BUOY COOPERATION PANEL
TWENTY FIRST SESSION
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
17-21 OCTOBER 2005 / DBCP-XXI/Doc. 2.2.3
(12.X.2005)
ITEM: 2.2.3
ENGLISH ONLY

TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEMS

(Submitted by Joint Secretariat)

Summary and purpose of document
This document reports briefly on activities regarding the establishment of (a) tsunami warning system(s), following the 26 December 2004 Tsunami.

ACTION PROPOSED

The panel is invited to:

(a)Note and comment on the information, as appropriate;

(b)Advise on any interactions which may be required between the Panel and other communities, in establishing/maintaining tsunami warning systems;

(c)Review how coordination could be realized with other programmes and panels of WMO and IOC;

(d)Take this information into account when discussing other relevant agenda items.

______

Appendices:A.IOC Resolution XXIII-12: Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System

B.Rec. 11/1 (JCOMM-II) – JCOMM Support for Marine Multi-Hazard Warning Systems, including Tsunamis

DISCUSSION

Tsunami warning and a more comprehensive natural marine hazards warning system

1.After the devastating earthquake and tsunami of 26 December 2004, which killed over 200,000 people and caused huge destruction in several countries around the Indian Ocean basin, all countries in the region acted quickly to start the process to establish a tsunami warning and mitigation system for the Indian Ocean region, to ensure that people would never again be caught unprepared for this rare but high-impact disaster.

2Not only the national leaders but also technical experts were involved in establishing measures, such as the Special ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting (Jakarta, 6 January 2005), the UN Conference on Small Island Developing States (Port Louis, 14 January 2005), the UN General Assembly (New York, 19 January 2005) by Resolution 59/279, the Common Statement of the Special Session on Indian Ocean Disaster and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015, both adopted at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (Kobe, 22 January 2005), the Ministerial Declaration in Phuket (29 January 2005), the GEO Communiqué (Brussels, 16 February 2005), and several technical meetings held in China, India and Indonesia. Taking into consideration the experience of the IOC in the Pacific region through its ICG/ITSU, the countries of the region had requested IOC to take the lead of the UN efforts in the establishment of an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWS).

3.From the start, IOC has collaborated closely with WMO and ISDR, combining the specific expertise of each agency towards the establishment of IOTWS. The system will build national capacity to

(i) assess national tsunami risk (hazard assessment);

(ii) establish national/regional warning centres against local/regional/basinwide tsunamis (warning guidance); and

(iii) promote education/preparedness and risk reduction against tsunami hazard (mitigation and public awareness).

4.To develop a “governance system”, through the First and Second International coordination meeting for the development of a Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System in the Indian Ocean within a global framework (Paris, 3-7 March 2005; Mauritius, 14-16 April 2005), the IOC adopted Resolution XXIII-12 at the 23rd Session of the Assembly (Appendix A), establishing the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS). The First Session of the ICG/IOTWS was held in Perth, Australia, between 3 and 5 August 2005. The Government of Australia offered to fund and host the Secretariat of the ICG/IOTWS in Perth, Australia, and furthermore, Norway, Japan and Germany offered staff support for the establishment of a “Tsunami Unit” at IOC Headquarters, Paris. Additional support was offered to IOC by Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway and the United States of America. The IOC also established, at its 23rd Assembly, Intergovernmental Coordination Groups for the Caribbean and adjacent regions and for the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean.

5.The core system observational network has involved the provision, as from April 2005, of a “tsunami advisory information service” by the PTWC and JMA, and the upgrading of existing, or installation of new sea level gauges in the Indian Ocean. In this regard substantial support has been received from Finland and from several otherç donors through the first UN/OCHA Flash Appeal. Considerable progress has also been made with the planning of capacity building activities: national assessment missions have been undertaken to 16 countries Bangladesh, Comores, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand). These missions aimed at (i) informing national stakeholders on the requirements (organizational, infrastructural and human resources) for the establishment and operation of a TWS; (ii) assessing the available resources; (iii) promoting the establishment of national coordination committees involving the widest possible group of stakeholders; and (iv) identifying capacity building needs. The missions have been undertaken in partnership or cooperation with IOC, WMO, ISDR, IFRC, ADRC, USGS and NOAA. The results of the missions will be used to identify common requirements at the sub-regional and regional level. These will be used to prepare a comprehensive capacity building action plan during the Second Session of the ICG/IOTWS, planned to be held in Hyderabad, India, from 14-16 December 2005.

6.In this framework, under close collaboration and cooperation with other organizations, the IOC action elements include:

(i) establishment of a governance system for the IOTWS;

(ii) strengthening of a core observational network, based upon the GLOSS sea level system; and

(iii) capacity building.

WMO focuses on

(i) upgrading Global Telecommunication System (GTS), where needed, to address requirements of tsunami-related data communication;

(ii) assisting development or enhancement of “multi-hazard” early warning systems of NMHS as well as coordination with space programmes/systems.

(iii)collaboration with UNESCO/IOC on further developing tsunami related educational tools, materials;

(iv)consolidating and contributing to multi-hazard early warning systems. In this context, WMO plans to hold a multi-hazard symposium in early 2006, as a first step toward multi-hazard global approach to early warning systems.

JCOMM’s role in tsunami and marine hazard warning systems

7.During its second session in Halifax, Canada (19-27 September 2005), the Commission noted that 90 percent of all natural disasters were of hydrometeorological origin, and noted that the IOC and WMO have complementary contributions to ensuring an operational, robust and accurate tsunami warning system, as part of a more comprehensive marine multi-hazard warning system. The Commission recognized that JCOMM could significantly contribute to certain aspects of this process. The Commission further noted the importance of closer collaboration among meteorological, hydrological, and oceanographic communities to enhance disaster risk management capabilities in the coastal zones.

8JCOMM reviewed possible actions by JCOMM in support of IOTWS and ITSU and other future regionally based coordination groups for tsunami warning and mitigation, and requested the co-presidents and especially the Observations and Services Programme Areas to contribute as appropriate to the establishment and/or maintenance of these systems. As an existing coordination mechanism and interface between WMO and IOC comprising meteorologists and oceanographers, JCOMM provides the natural umbrella mechanism for such a marine multi-hazard warning system. This could be realized, inter alia, through supporting the participation of relevant technical experts in sessions of the ICG/ITSU and ICG/IOTWS, as well as through national support for JCOMM-related activities and facilities that could contribute to the national and regional tsunami warning and mitigation systems. However, duplication by JCOMM of ongoing activities of other organizations should be avoided. The Recommendation 11/1 (JCOMM-II) was adopted in this regard, during the second session of JCOMM, which is reproduced in Appendix B.

8A number of components in the JCOMM structure could contribute in the development of a tsunami warning system as part of a more comprehensive marine multi-hazard warning system, specifically the Observations and Services Programme Areas. In JCOMM-II, it was highlighted that the Observation Programme Area includes the GLOSS network which is now upgrading for efficient monitoring of tsunami and other marine hazard. It again could create synergies with SOT and DBCP in the deployment and use of multi-purpose deep ocean moorings for marine hazard detection. The activities in Service Programme Area contribute to strengthening existing services to disseminate safety related warnings, and assisting Members/Member States to develop expertise in storm surge and wave modeling, through the Expert Team on Maritime Safety Services, and to the Expert Team on Wind Waves and Storm Surges respectively.

10JCOMM considers and plans to contribute within a wider framework of cooperation for tsunami and marine-related natural disaster reduction, within a global framework, as following:

(i)Analysis of potential for existing marine platforms and deployment facilities to contribute to a tsunami and other marine hazards early warning network;

(ii)Contribute to the development of guidance material for Members/Member States relating to the components and operations of a marine hazards warning service;

(iii)Coordination with IMO and IHO to ensure the dissemination of tsunami warnings and related information through GMDSS communications facilities for Maritime Safety;

(iv)Enhancement of the GLOSS network through the upgrading of some of the existing GLOSS stations to tsunami monitoring standard;

(v)Coordinate an effective link for exchange and dissemination of early warnings, contribute to the development of a fast warning system, especially in the maritime safety, utilizing both existing and new transmission facilities in order to reach the public and the relevant mitigation mechanisms;

(vi)Coordinate with JCOMMOPS the arrangements for ocean platform deployments and maintenance, which should be used to provide extensive logistic and related support for tsunami detection networks.

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Appendices: 2

DBCP-XXI/Doc. 2.2.3, p. 1

Resolution XXIII-12

INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION GROUP FOR THE INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI WARNING AND MITIGATION SYSTEM

DBCP-XXI/Doc. 2.2.3, APPENDIX A, p. 1

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission,

Extending its deepest sympathies and condolences to the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004, their families, the people and governments of the countries affected, and expressing its deepest concern over the negative economic, social, psychological, environmental and other consequences and impacts of the tsunami disaster,

Recalling: the many directions and guidance provided by: the Special ASEAN Leaders’ meeting adopted in Jakarta on 6 January 2005; the UN Conference on Small Island Developing States held in Port Louis, Mauritius, from 10 to 14 January 2005; the UNGA Resolution 59/279 adopted in New York on 19 January 2005; the Common Statement of the Special Session on Indian Ocean Disaster and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015, both adopted at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe on 22 January 2005; the Ministerial Declaration in Phuket adopted on 29 January 2005; the GEO Communiqué adopted in Brussels on 16 February 2005; and the technical meetings held in India, China and Indonesia,

Recognizing the unique tectonic plate structure of the Indian Ocean and that there are primarily two tsunamigenic sources that could affect the coastlines of the Indian Ocean, namely the Indonesian seismic zone and its extensions, about 4000 km in length, and the Makran source,

Reaffirming that the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWS) will be a coordinated network of national systems and capacities, and will be part of a global network of early-warning systems for all ocean-related hazards,

Reaffirming further that each MemberState should have the responsibility to issue warnings within their respective territories,

Recalling its commitment to an open, free and unrestricted sharing of tsunami-relevant real-time observational data in accordance with the UNESCO/IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy and without prejudice to the sovereignty of Member States,

Welcoming:

(i)the plans and intentions of Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to develop their national capability to detect, analyse and provide timely warning of tsunamis generated along the Indonesian seismic zone and its extensions as well as the plans of India, Iran and Pakistan to cover the Makran source,

(ii)the plans and intentions of all countries of the Indian Ocean to enhance their abilities to receive tsunami advisory information and warnings and issue appropriate warnings within their respective territories on a twenty-four-hour/seven-day-a-week basis,

(iii)the many generous offers of financial and technical assistance made by countries across the globe to help establish an IOTWS, particularly the contributions of Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, United States of America and the European Union,

(iv)the continuing support of the IOC/ITIC (International Tsunami Information Centre) to assist the ICG/IOTWS and its Secretariat in development of communications and capacity-building activities,

(v)the fact that the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) have started to provide interim tsunami advisory information to authorized contacts in the Indian OceanStates within and bordering the Indian Ocean,

Emphasizing the importance of the media in avoiding panic by responsibly reporting this information,

Endorses the Paris Communiqué (attached as Annex 2 to this Resolution) adopted on 8March 2005 by the International Coordination Meeting for the Development of a Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System for the Indian Ocean within a Global Framework, held in UNESCO headquarters, and the Mauritius Declaration (attached as Annex 3 to this Resolution) adopted on 16 April 2005 by the Second International Coordination Meeting for the Development of an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System, held in Grand Baie;

Decides:

(i)to create an IOTWS and establish an Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS), as a subsidiary body of IOC, with the final Terms of Reference attached as Annex 1 to this Resolution;

(ii)that the IOC shall provide the Secretariat of the ICG/IOTWS;

(iii)that the IOC shall develop a comprehensive programme of capacity-building on tsunami protection for the Indian Ocean, in order to assist all countries of the region, including the coastal African countries and Middle-Eastern countries, to have the capacity to protect their populations;

Invites Member States in the Indian Ocean region to submit to the IOC Executive Secretary, in writing and as early as possible, the name of the institution acting as the National Tsunami Warning Centre, or responsible for its development, and thus having responsibilities to officially receive tsunami-related information bulletins and warnings;

Welcomes and accepts the generous offer of Australia to (i) support the Secretariat of the ICG/IOTWS, which will be located within the IOC Perth Regional Programme Office; and (ii) provide ongoing and dedicated financial and other support for the Secretariat of the ICG/IOTWS;

Invites all MemberStates and other countries, international and regional organizations to provide financial, technical and other kinds of assistance for the establishment of the IOTWS, including voluntary contributions to the IOC Trust Fund in order to assist the Commission in the effective provision of secretariat services for the ICG/IOTWS.

______

Identified funding (2006–2007): US$50,000 from extra-budgetary resources
to be identified

Annex 1 to Resolution XXIII-12

Terms of Reference of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group
for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS)

The ICG will be established as a subsidiary body of the IOC and will report to, and seek guidance from, the IOC Assembly.

Objectives:

  1. To coordinate the activities of the IOTWS;
  2. To organize and facilitate as appropriate the exchange of seismic, sea level and other data at or near real-time and information required for the interoperability of the IOTWS;
  3. To promote the sharing of experience and expertise related to tsunami warning and mitigation for the Indian Ocean basin;
  4. To promote tsunami research;
  5. To promote the establishment and further development of national tsunami warning and mitigation capacities in accordance with standard protocols and methods;
  6. To develop, adopt and monitor implementation of work plans of the IOTWS, and to identify required resources;
  7. To promote implementation of relevant capacity-building;
  8. To liaise and coordinate with other tsunami warning systems;
  9. To liaise with other relevant organizations, programmes and projects;
  10. To promote the implementation of the IOTWS within a multi-hazard framework;
  11. To keep under constant scrutiny the status of the system and how it satisfies the needs.

The secretariat for the ICG/IOTWS shall:

  1. Support meetings of the ICG;
  2. Facilitate the liaison among the various national contact points and national tsunami warning centres;
  3. Maintain a current list of operational national contact points and facilities and make it available on request to all Member States;
  4. Organize the liaison between ICG/IOTWS and the ICG/ITSU, with the PTWC and with other tsunami warning centres to facilitate best practices in tsunami warning;
  5. Initiate and support training activities and enhance and enrich tsunami warning in the Indian Ocean.

Membership of the ICG/IOTWS:

Member States of the IOC within and bordering the Indian Ocean

Observers from other IOC Member States

Invited observers from other organizations (including NGOs), programmes and projects, in accordance with the IOC rules and procedures.

Annex 2 to Resolution XXIII-12

Communiqué of the First International Coordination Meeting for the Development
of a Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System for the Indian Ocean within a Global Framework and Draft Terms of Reference of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS)