Tonga improves Tsunami Early Warning System on World Tsunami Awareness Day 2023

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.

Ms Mami Mizutori joined the two target schools in the Tsunami Evacuation Drill and reminded students and staff of the two participating schools on the importance of preparedness for a tsunami event given Tonga’s proximity to one of most active subduction zones on the Pacific Rim. She highlighted the critical significance of preparedness action such as Tsunami evacuation drills, as an integral part of the awareness campaign that brings together all the stakeholders and development partners.

The WTAD23 Tsunami Evacuation Drill included the functional exercise for the National Tsunami Warning Centre at the Tonga Meteorological Services with the support of the Earthquake Observatory at Tonga Geological Services and the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) at NDRMO. The NTWC also tested the newly installed Tsunami Warning Siren and Public Announcement system supported by the Government of Japan.

The SRSG UNDRR emphasized that early warning actions are important in safeguarding people, saving lives, and mitigating the potential hazards. She expressed appreciation for the government of Tonga’s dedicated efforts to safeguard their communities.

The Tsunami Evacuation Drill was followed by a HOTWASH and COLDWASH Debrief facilitated by UNESCO/IOC. These series of events was documented and shared live to the Tongan Public on Facebook.

These events marked an important milestone in Tonga's increased tsunami awareness and preparedness efforts since the 15 January 2022 Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami, which killed three people and caused major destruction to many low-lying coastal communities on Tongatapu, ‘Eua and the Ha‘apai group of islands in Tonga, also spread across the global ocean and seas causing moderate damage along coastlines as far as Japan

Tonga’s updated Tsunami Warning and Response SOP will facilitate the rollout the UNESCO/IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme (TRRP) under the Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme (0DTP) targeting tsunami at-risk communities to improve early action in response to tsunami early warning systems.