TSUNAMI READY VILLAGES IN IOR from Vajirao & Reddy Institute

TSUNAMI READY VILLAGES IN IOR

Why in News :

• India will soon have more than 100 tsunami-ready villages in the Indian Ocean region.
• India will become the first country in the region to achieve this milestone.
• These villages will be officially recognised under the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready programme.

WHAT IS A TSUNAMI READY VILLAGE? Meaning

• A tsunami-ready village is a coastal village that is well prepared to face tsunami hazards.
• Such villages have high awareness, proper planning, and quick response systems

Key Features of Tsunami-Ready Villages

• High public awareness about tsunamis.
• Hazard preparedness and risk mapping.
• Public display of evacuation maps.
• 24-hour tsunami warning systems.
• Regular mock drills and community participation.
• Coordination with local and national disaster agencies.

Certification Authority

• The certification is awarded by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.

TSUNAMI READY PROGRAM Nature of the Programme

• It is a voluntary and community-based programme.
• It focuses on active participation of local communities.
• Community leaders, disaster agencies, and governments work together.

Aim and Objectives

• To build resilient coastal communities.
• To reduce loss of life, livelihoods, and property due to tsunamis.
• To improve preparedness, awareness, and response capacity.

STATUS OF TSUNAMI READY VILLAGES IN INDIA Existing Coverage

• India already has 24 certified coastal villages.
• These villages are spread across six coastal districts.

Odisha’s Major Contribution

• Odisha is set to add 72 more villages under this programme.
• This will make Odisha a key contributor to tsunami preparedness.

Other States and UTs

• Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands have identified villages.
• Kerala has proposed nine coastal villages.
• These villages are expected to be certified by March–April 2026.

ROLE OF INCOIS Key Institution

• Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad plays a central role.

Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre

• INCOIS operates the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre.
• It tracks earthquakes across the world.
• It issues tsunami warnings for the Indian Ocean region.

Coordinating Role

• INCOIS is the coordinating agency for implementing the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready initiative in India.
• It has started pilot-scale activities in all coastal States and UTs.

ABOUT TSUNAMI READY RECOGNITION PROGRAM Programme Details

• It is an international recognition programme.
• Developed by the IOC of UNESCO.

Methodology

• Communities must meet all 12 indicators.
• Indicators cover Assessment, Preparedness, and Response.
• Only after fulfilling these indicators, a village is recognised as Tsunami Ready.

Validity

• The recognition is renewable every four years.
• Villages must maintain preparedness standards to continue certification.

SIGNIFICANCE

• Strengthens disaster preparedness at the grassroots level.
• Reduces casualties and damage during tsunamis.
• Enhances community confidence and early response capacity.

Supports India’s leadership role in disaster risk reduction in the Indian Ocean region.   Note: Connect with Vajirao & Reddy Institute to keep yourself updated with latest UPSC Current Affairs in English. Note: We upload Current Affairs Except Sunday.