The (hybrid) Seventeenth Session of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami and other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE-EWS XVII) took place in Managua, Nicaragua during 6-9 May 2024 with the participation of 83 experts (28 in-person, 55 virtual) from 15 ICG/CARIBE-EWS Members States (8 in-person, 7 virtual), including 27 Observers.

Noting the cross-cutting elements of its work programme closely connected with the UN EW4All and guided by strategic elements such as the Ocean Decade Tsunami Program Research and Development Implementation Plan (ODTP) and UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme (TRRP), the ICG/CARIBE-EWS at its 17th session decided to establish a Steering Committee not only to make a move towards harmonization of global ICG governance structures but also to ensure provision of strategic guidance to its work programme and serve as an efficient instrument of results-based management, especially in providing an oversight in the execution of its decisions and recommendations.

Capacity building workshops on tsunami inundation mapping and tsunami evacuation planning were held as part of the UNESCO-IOC project on “Strengthening Tsunami Early Warning in the North-West Indian Ocean through Regional Cooperation – Phase 2c” with funding from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Tsunami Trust Fund.

The workshops were hosted during 21-25 April 2024 by the Directorate General of Oman Meteorology of the Civil Aviation Authority in Muscat, Oman. Around 40 participants in tsunami warning, research, and disaster management from India, Iran, Pakistan, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) attended the events in-person with a further 25 joining the online sessions. The workshops were facilitated by trainers from the UNESCO-IOC Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Center (IOTIC), UNESCO-IOC Secretariat for the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS), Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, and Norway.

Participants at the workshops on tsunami inundation mapping and tsunami evacuation planning in Muscat, Oman during 21-25 April 2024. 

The Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas (ICG/NEAMTWS) met in Paris, France for its 18^th Session on 6–8 February 2024. A key highlight was the election of new ICG/NEAMTWS officers Mr Alessandro Amato, Italy as the new ICG/NEAMTWS Chairperson and Mr Amr Hamouda (Egypt), Mr Ignacio Aguirre Ayerbe (Spain) for vice Chairpersons for the period 2024-2025. High on the agenda was the status of implementation of UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme, with Cannes (France) becoming the first recognized Tsunami Ready community in NEAM region. The meeting also hailed the finalization and publication of the ICG/NEAMTWS 2021-2030 Strategy Document as an IOC Technical Series and Brochure; the conduction of regional tsunami exercise (NEAMWave23); the new approved two-years Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG-ECHO) funded CoastWAVE Project Phase-II. The group decided to establish a new task team on non-seismic tsunamis and plan the next regional tsunami exercise in 2025.  

The Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the North-eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean, and connected seas Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/NEAMTWS) introduces new informational products to contribute to the implementation of the Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme in the NEAM Region and ICG/NEAMTWS 2030 Strategy, with a specific focus on Pillar 3 on "Awareness and Response" of an Effective Early Warning and Mitigation System. 

The newly introduced products include: 

1. “Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme (TRRP)” Brochure: providing a brief overview TRRP in the NEAM region, particularly outlining the 12 indicators to be achieved by communities to become “Tsunami Ready”. 

The UNESCO-IOC Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Centre (IOTIC) conducted National Tsunami Ready Training in Seychelles during 21-24 November 2023. The training workshop reviewed the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme with a view for adoption and implementation in Seychelles. Forty representatives from both national and local governmental organisations participated in the training.

The Seychelles Disaster Risk and Management Division (DRMD) hosted the event at the Seychelles Trading Company (STC) in Victoria, Mahe Island. UNESCO-IOC and the Government of Indonesia funded the training, through the Partnership Agreement between UNESCO-IOC and the Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG; 2023-2027).

Participants at Seychelles Tsunami Ready Training, Victoria, Mahe,21-24 November 2023.

The workshop was officially opened by the Minister for Local Government and Community Affairs, Minister Rose Marie Hoareau, following the welcome remarks of Prof Dwikorita Karnawati, Chair of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS) and Head of BMKG, and Dr Alexandros K Makarigakis, the Director of UNESCO Office Nairobi.

The training was led by IOTIC in contribution to UNESCO-IOC’s effort to ensure a safe ocean for ever-more resilient coastal communities, with specific objectives: 1. To introduce and promote the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme (TRRP) and 2. To initiate the implementation of the TRRP in Seychelles.

UNESCO-IOC's Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Centre (IOTIC) jointly with UNDRR's Africa Office and the Disaster Risk and Management Division of Seychelles conducted eyewitness interviews for the “Preserving Past Tsunami Information for Future Preparedness” initiative in conjunction with the National Tsunami Ready Training in Seychelles held on 21-24 November 2023.

Interviews with eight eyewitness of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami were conducted in two districts affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. In Anse Royale, Mahe Island six survivors were interviewed including Leonne Florentine, Denis Meringo, Melvin Robert, Patrick Gilbert, Marie Yvonne Roucou, and Nazreen Alibhaye, and in Grand Anse, Praslin Island two survivors were interviewed including Dixson Lespreance and Marcel Andre.

“It was 26 of December, a holiday, that afternoon, I was planning to bring my children to the beach. Just before we left, I got a phone call from a relative telling me to turn on the television. There was an announcement for the people to stay away from the beach because of a phenomenon that happened in Indonesia, and a wave is traveling through the Indian Ocean. We cancelled going to the beach, as my house is on a hill, we can see the beach below, I saw the wave coming and out the beach, which was very not normal at that time,” Leonne Florentine of Anse Royale, Mahe Island.

A volcano eruption in the Svartsengi volcanic system in Iceland captured widespread attention from 18 to 21 December 2023. The eruption took place close to Sundhnúkagígar, about four kilometres northeast of Grindavík. The eruption occurred after the area has been monitored and evacuated since 10 November 2023, due to seismic activity and the formation of a dyke intrusion at a depth of 3-5 km.  The latest report from the Icelandic Met Office (IMO, Iceland) on 22 December, states that the fissure eruption at Sundhnúksgígar ended on 21 December. This indicates a temporary cessation of eruptive activity. However, according to GPS and satellite-based measurements, ground uplift in the Svartsengi region was apparent immediately after the eruption began on the evening of 18 December. Initial measurements show that the rate of uplift is greater than before the eruption occurred. This signifies that magma accumulation continues unabated beneath Svartsengi. This development will likely lead to another dike intrusion and, ultimately, another volcanic eruption.

The volcanic activity has raised concerns about the potential for a volcano-generated tsunami. The Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the North Eastern Atlantic Mediterranean and connected seas Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/NEAMTWS) continues to monitor the situation through its Tsunami Service Providers (TSPs) and expert networks. Mr Halldór Björnsson, Coordinator of Atmospheric Research at the IMO, emphasized prior to the eruption, “an eruption in Grindavík is not likely to extend into the sea, the bottom topography poses no risk of submarine landslides, therefore, the risk of a tsunami in that area is extremely low”.    

Since 21 December, nearly 90 earthquakes were recorded in the Grindavík, Sundhnúksgígar, and Svartsengi regions. The largest earthquake was M1.6 West of Hagafell. Presently, seismicity levels are low but variable on a daily basis. The main driving force behind these events is the spreading of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. These forces literally tear the ground apart as the plates move in opposite directions. The empty space between the plates is usually filled with magma rising from the Earth’s mantle, potentially triggering volcanic activity such as the one witnessed at Sundhnúksgígar.

Volcanic activity on 18 December 2023 at the southern end of the fissure at Sundhnúksgíga, Iceland. Source: Icelandic Met Office.

The UNESCO-IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS) decided to conduct Exercise Indian Ocean Wave 2023 (IOWave23) during October 2023. Different scenarios for tsunami generation were exercised on 4, 11, 18 and 25 October. Recognising that the outcomes from IOWave23 will contribute to a better understanding of the gaps in tsunami warning chains, as well as enhance tsunami preparedness across the Indian Ocean Region, the ICG/IOTWMS Secretariat and Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Centre (IOTIC) jointly organised the “Lessons Learnt during Exercise Indian Ocean Wave 2023” webinar during 12-13 December 2023.

Opening remarks were provided by Professor Dwikorita Karnawati, Chair of the ICG/IOTWMS, and Mr Rick Bailey, Head of the ICG/IOTWMS Secretariat. Ms Weniza, Chair of the ICG/IOTWMS Task Team on Exercise IOWave23, provided an overview of the exercise. Ms Suci Anagrah, Chair of the ICG/IOTWMS Working Group 3 on Tsunami Ready Implementation, spoke about the importance of the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme. All stressed the importance of developing and maintaining community awareness and preparedness for the tsunami threat. While fortunately tsunamis are relatively rare, exercises are accordingly required to ensure warning systems are fully operational and effective should a tsunami occur.

Photo: Participants during Exercise IOWave23 held during 4-25 October 2023.

The webinar focused on Member States’ participation in the exercise, with country presentations from Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Madagascar, Mauritius, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. Panel discussions were also held on: a) New Tsunami Service Provider (TSP) products for non-seismic generated tsunami, b) Community involvement in IOWave exercises; c) Exercising UNECO-IOC Tsunami Ready indicators; and d) Recommendations for the next IOWave Exercise.

Ms Mami Mizutori, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNDRR) joined the Government of Tonga in the commemoration of the World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD) 2023 (WTAD23) in Nukualofa, Tonga on 20^th October 2023.

The WTAD23 event commenced with the unveiling of a newly installed Tsunami Information Board at Apifo’ou College. The Tsunami information board serves to inform the school community and nearby communities on the risk posed by a tsunami threat to their community and provides actionable advice on what needs to be undertaken in preparedness and response to a tsunami threat on their nearby coastline. The installation of the tsunami information board was supported by UNDRR in collaboration with UNESCO/IOC Tsunami Resilience Section and the National Disaster Risk Management Office (NDMRO) of Tonga.

This event was followed by a Tsunami Evacuation Drill Exercise for two schools- Apifo’ou College and `Ahopanilolo Technical Institute. A total of 1500 students and teachers participated including response agencies.

The tsunami inundation and evacuation mapping phase of the UNESCAP-funded project on “Strengthening tsunami early warning in the North-West Indian Ocean region through regional cooperation” was launched on 15 November 2023 via an online webinar.  The project involves India, Iran and Pakistan with Oman and United Arab Emirates participating on a self-funded basis. The new phase focuses on capacity building through the development of tsunami inundation and evacuation maps for pilot communities of the North-West Indian Ocean Member States. The project serves as a platform for the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme and the United Nations initiative of “Early Warning for All” by 2027.

The webinar was jointly organised by UNESCO-IOC’s Secretariat for the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS) and Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Center (IOTIC). Opening remarks were provided by Prof. Dwikorita Karnawati, Chair of the ICG/IOTWMS, Mr Rick Bailey, Heado of UNESCO-IOC's Secretariat for the ICG/IOTWMS, and Ms Temily Baker, Programme Management Officer at United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), with closing remarks provided by Dr. Mohammad Mokhtari, Chair of the ICG/IOTWMS Regional Working Group for the North West Indian Ocean. Around 35 attendees, mostly the from North-West Indian Ocean Member States of India, Iran, Oman, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates, attended in the project launch.

Photo: Participants at launch of Phace 2c of the project "Strengthening tsunami early warning in the North-West Indian Ocean region through regional cooperation", 15 November 2023.