An Assessment Of The B C Tsunami Warning System And Related Risk Reduction Practices

This study attempts to show than an integrated tsunami warning system involves a wide range of considerations across all three stages of the dissemination network. Within this context, the authors offer a series of conclusions that could be used to strengthen key components of Canada's west coast tsunami warning system and related risk reduction practices.

This study attempts to show than an integrated tsunami warning system involves a wide range of considerations across all three stages of the dissemination network. Within this context, the authors offer a series of conclusions that could be used to strengthen key components of Canada's west coast tsunami warning system and related risk reduction practices.

The tragedy of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has led to a rapid expansion in science directed at understanding tsunami and mitigating their hazard. A remarkable cross-section of this research was presented in the session: Tsunami Generation and Hazard, at the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics XXIV General Assembly in Perugia, held in July of 2007. Over one hundred presentations were made at this session, spanning topics ranging from paleotsunami research, to nonlinear shallow-water theory, to tsunami hazard and risk assessment. A selection of this work, along with other contributions from leading tsunami scientists, is published in detail in the 28 papers of this special issue of Pure and Applied Geophysics: Tsunami Science Four Years After the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Part I of this issue includes 14 papers covering the state-of-the-art in tsunami modelling and hazard assessment. Another 14 papers are published in Part II focusing on observations and data analysis.

Many coastal areas of the United States are at risk for tsunamis. After the catastrophic 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, legislation was passed to expand U.S. tsunami warning capabilities. Since then, the nation has made progress in several related areas on both the federal and state levels. At the federal level, NOAA has improved the ability to detect and forecast tsunamis by expanding the sensor network. Other federal and state activities to increase tsunami safety include: improvements to tsunami hazard and evacuation maps for many coastal communities; vulnerability assessments of some coastal populations in several states; and new efforts to increase public awareness of the hazard and how to respond. Tsunami Warning and Preparedness explores the advances made in tsunami detection and preparedness, and identifies the challenges that still remain. The book describes areas of research and development that would improve tsunami education, preparation, and detection, especially with tsunamis that arrive less than an hour after the triggering event. It asserts that seamless coordination between the two Tsunami Warning Centers and clear communications to local officials and the public could create a timely and effective response to coastal communities facing a pending tsuanami. According to Tsunami Warning and Preparedness, minimizing future losses to the nation from tsunamis requires persistent progress across the broad spectrum of efforts including: risk assessment, public education, government coordination, detection and forecasting, and warning-center operations. The book also suggests designing effective interagency exercises, using professional emergency-management standards to prepare communities, and prioritizing funding based on tsunami risk.

This book is a collection of contributions from experts involved in tsunami study for the purpose of covering the different aspects from a tsunami at a local level, population health related to a tsunami disaster and early warning systems at a country level. The presented chapters, after being peer-reviewed, have been recommended to be accepted for publication. The content of the book consists of an introductory section that deals with the lessons learned from past tsunamis and today’s practice; the monitoring of tsunami damage using the polarimetric microwave remote sensing technique, and considering the local tsunami on Pakistan’s coast; the outbreak of devastating earthquakes; health consequences and medical provisions for the population and finally the risk of tsunamis in Mexico