Tsunamis

Characteristics, early warning systems and information needs of relief response and post-recovery operations

Delilah H.A. Al Khudhairy
European Commission - Joint Research Centre, Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC)
Support to External Security Unit, Via E. Fermi, TP 268
Phone: +39 0332 785696 Fax: +39 0332 785154
Delilah.Al-Khudhairy@cec.eu.int

ABSTRACT

Tsunamis are almost exclusively confined to coastal environments, and although can be generated by one of numerous mechanisms, most are triggered by earthquakes. Although local tsunamis can be relatively frequent events, mega tsunami events, such as the recent Indian Ocean wide tsunami, are a rare phenomenon. Whereas such type of tsunami triggering mechanisms as earthquakes cannot be predicted, it is potentially possible to provide early warnings of tsunamis. Whilst there is no global tsunami early warning system, there are national and regional tsunami early warning systems scattered around the Pacific Ocean.

The loss of lives and damage generated by a tsunami, especially a mega event such as the recent Indian Ocean tsunami, can often be many times more severe than the loss from the original triggering mechanism. Whilst emergency rescue and humanitarian relief as well as post-recovery operations can be handled adequately by ground-based surveys, this is not the case with mega events such as the Indian Ocean wide tsunami disaster of 26th December 2004, in which many countries and populations were affected simultaneously and unexpectedly.

In this key note lecture, we present the key characteristics and triggering mechanisms of tsunamis. We also present the current status of tsunami early warning systems, the issues surrounding the technology of tsunami warning systems, as well as ongoing and expected future developments in the field. In addition, we will describe the role earth observation data can play in assessing tsunami damage and boosting humanitarian relief efforts and post-recovery operations, especially reconstruction. In the final part of the lecture, we present lessons learned from the Indian Ocean tsunami event of 26th December 2004 as regards the use of earth observation data and keys areas of improvement.

Last Update: 2005-04-11