UNESCO

Chile is one of the most seismically
exposed countries in the world. A major
earthquake and tsunami in 2010 prompted
the Chilean authorities to modify local
building codes. Local populations are
now well prepared, regional cooperation
is effective, and warning and response
mechanisms are efficient. UNESCO has
done significant work on education
for tsunami preparedness and is
currently working on multi-hazard risk
mapping and assessment in the region.
On 16 September 2015, an earthquake
with an 8.3 magnitude occurred near
the coast of central Chile, activating
the PTWMS. It triggered a tsunami which
spread across the Pacific, with waves up to
4.75 m. Timely alert messages allowed for
the evacuation of nearly 1 million people
in areas at high risk. National authorities
confirmed that there were eight fatalities,
mainly because of buildings collapsing
during the earthquake, and the coastal
fringes of several cities were flooded.
That there were not many more casualties
and more damage shows the effect of
the work that has taken place.
The Caribbean Sea
Over the last 500 years, 75 tsunamis have
occurred in the Caribbean. IOC-UNESCO
has also established a Tsunami and
Other Coastal Hazards Warning System
for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions,
and in March a large-scale tsunami
response exercise was designed to test
its functioning. Two scenarios were
prepared, simulating tsunamis generated
by earthquakes just north of Panama, and
off the coast of Florida (USA). Fictitious
alert messages were sent by the US
National Tsunami Warning Centre in
Palmer, Alaska to the relevant countries.
Other participating countries received
fictitious alert messages sent by the
PTWC. Countries could choose to extend
the test at the local level by sending out a
public alert via sirens or loudspeakers.
Explaining what harmful algal
blooms are all about
Harmful algal blooms occur in nearly all aquatic
environments. Careful management is needed to prevent
or minimize the environmental, socio-economic and
health impact they can have on both aquatic ecosystems
and humans. Researchers engaged in the Global Ecology
and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (GEOHAB),
a joint programme of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic
Research (SCOR) and UNESCO’s Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO), finalized
this year Harmful Algal Blooms - Scientific Summary for
Policy-Makers. This publication synthesises a decade of
GEOHAB research, provides an overview of the current
scientific understanding of harmful algal blooms
and mitigation options, and will assist non-specialist
decision-makers in planning for, monitoring and
managing harmful algal events.
© UNESCO Jakarta
Representatives from the government and
the local community in Pandeglang District
(Indonesia) learn about standard operating
procedures for the dissemination and
communication of tsunami early warning
and emergency response during an activity
organized by the UNESCO Office in Jakarta
in July 2015.
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