India a leader in tsunami warnings: UN study

Before that fateful Sunday morning twelve years ago, Indians literally did not know whether a tsunami is spelt with a `t’ or `s’. There was literally no memory of a tsunami having been experienced by the current generation in India. Since then there is huge recognition that tsunamis can be one of the most destructive natural forces on earth. Lessons were learnt quickly and today India is a leader in the Indian Ocean region, providing a 24x7 all year round tsunami early warning service from its high-tech facility in Hyderabad. 

Occasional vandalism by occupants of fishing boats that venture close to the sensors placed deep in the ocean, makes the system vulnerable to break down. These fisher folk steal the electronic parts and solar panels. It is interesting to note that the Indian system has in its decade long existence never issued a ‘false warning’ in contrast to the much older and well-oiled Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, which regularly issues warnings that do not pan into real tsunamis. An assessment by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) suggests that “tsunamis are rare. But they can be extremely deadly. In the past 100 years, more than 2,60,000 people have perished in 58 separate tsunamis. 

“At an average of 4,600 deaths per disaster, the toll has surpassed any other natural hazard,” it said. The first world tsunami awareness day will be celebrated on November 5, 2016 spearheaded by the Indian government. To commemorate the occasion, Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction 2016 will be held in New Delhi in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. 

According to UNISDR, the significance of this day can be traced back to the year 1854. A villager in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, was concerned about an impending tsunami after a high-intensity earthquake on November 5, 1854. He set up a fire to rice sheaves on the top of a hill. Fellow villagers, who went atop to put off the fire, were saved even as a tsunami destroyed their village down below. 

At Nagapattinam and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu after the 2004 tsunami, big boats could be seen left stranded several kilometres from the sea as the waves simply lifted them and deposited them way inland. The 2004 tsunami was generated because of a giant 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra. Tsunamis can also be caused by underwater volcanic eruptions and landslips among other reasons. Very soon after the 2004 tsunami, India decided to set up a tsunami early warning system but it took almost three years for it to become fully operational. Made at a cost of about USD 20 million, it is remarkable that the Indian system was made with no cost or time over runs, in fact it was done well within the estimated budget. Preparedness saves lives and India, along with 23 other Indian Ocean countries, recently participated in a tsunami mock drill on September 7-8.