..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 14 June 2006
Press Release No: G/28/2006

Early warning system to prevent further deaths from tsunamis

Bangkok (UN Information Services) -- A Regional Workshop on Mitigation, Preparedness and Development for Tsunami Early Warning Systems in the Indian Ocean region has brought together over 130 experts from over 20 countries bordering the Indian Ocean and regional partners and representatives from UNESCAP, UN agencies and disaster centres around the Indian Ocean.

The three-day workshop from 14-16 June 2006 is organized by International Strategy of Disaster Reduction (ISDR), UNESCO/IOC, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and other regional partners

"The Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 killed over 200,000 people," said Executive Secretary of UNESCAP and Under Secretary General of the United Nations, Kim Hak-Su. "Out of the pain of that period, we have launched a dynamic programme of UN interagency programs, with good progress under the guidance of the IOC Intergovernmental coordination group," he said.

“The Indian Ocean Tsunami was probably the loudest wake up call in the recent history about the need to strengthen early warning capabilities and to reduce risk and vulnerability globally” pointed out Magareta Wahlstrom, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. She called on the Workshop participants “not to rest until every coastal community in the Indian Ocean region, both in Africa and Asia – has ready access to early warnings of tsunami.”

The Workshop expects to share experiences of good practices and lessons learned from different countries in their efforts to integrate early warning systems into development process.

"Thailand has put disaster reduction on its national agenda and aims to have an effective early warning system. But it is not an easy task with such a short time frame," said Smith Dharmasaroja, Vice Minister to the Office of the Prime Minister Committee on National Disaster Warning System.

The meeting aims to identify how to integrate tsunami early warning systems into disaster risk reduction and development planning, clear guidance on prevention strategies for governments and a concrete agreement on how to coordinate action in the regions concerned.

“These elements will form the Terms of Reference of a new Working Group of the Inter-governmental Coordinating Group of IOC to enhance regional cooperation on tsunami early warning for the Indian Ocean,” said a UNESCAP spokesman.

For more information please contact:

Christel Rose, Regional Programme Officer
UN/ISDR Asia & Pacific
Tel: +66 (0)2 288 2766, Email: rosec@un.org

David Lazarus, chief
UN Information Services, UNESCAP
Tel: +66 (0)2 288 1866, Email: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

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