In Indian Ocean region, 100 villages to be tsunami-ready, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• India will soon have over 100 tsunami-ready villages in the Indian Ocean Region, the first country to achieve this scale.
• Tsunami-ready certification requires high awareness, hazard preparedness, evacuation maps, 24-hour warning systems, and mock drills.
• The certification is awarded by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
• Odisha is set to add 22 villages to the existing 24 certified coastal villages across six districts.
• Other states and UTs like Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands have also identified villages for the initiative.

Detailed Insights:

• The Tsunami Ready program is a voluntary, community-based initiative that enhances tsunami preparedness through collaboration with the public, community leaders, and emergency agencies.
• Kerala has proposed nine coastal villages for the Tsunami Ready initiative by March or April 2026.
• INCOIS (Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services) operates the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC), which monitors earthquakes and issues tsunami warnings.
• The Tsunami Ready initiative benefits preparedness for other hazards like cyclones.
• INCOIS is coordinating the extension of the UNESCO-IOC ‘Tsunami Ready’ program to all coastal states and UTs on a pilot scale.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Tsunami-ready village: A village certified for high tsunami awareness, preparedness, and warning systems.
• INCOIS: Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services, responsible for ocean information and early warning systems.
• ITEWC: Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre, tracks earthquakes and issues tsunami warnings for the Indian Ocean region.