Table of Contents
Building Resilient Coastal Communities
The mission included a dedicated technical training workshop for Tonga’s tsunami warning, geological service and emergency management agencies on 14 July, followed by a two-day national stakeholder workshop on 15–16 July focused on strengthening community resilience and progressing the implementation of the Tsunami Ready programme in Tonga.
The UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme is a global community-based initiative that supports at-risk communities in strengthening tsunami preparedness, response capacity, and public awareness. The programme contributes directly to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and its ambition to make 100% of communities at risk from tsunamis prepared and resilient by 2030. Communities achieve recognition by meeting twelve indicators covering assessment, preparedness, and response
During the stakeholder workshop, participants from government agencies, emergency management organizations, technical institutions, and local stakeholders reviewed international best practices, explored lessons learned from across the Pacific, and discussed Tonga’s priorities, challenges, and opportunities for strengthening tsunami readiness nationwide.
Strengthening Tsunami Early Warning Capacity
The technical workshop brought together personnel from the Tonga Meteorological Service, Tonga Geological Service and the National Disaster Risk Management Office to enhance tsunami warning operations, forecasting capabilities, and decision-support tools. Sessions examined tsunami forecasting methodologies, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center services, warning standard operating procedures, and emerging technologies to support warning dissemination and response.
Participants also reviewed developments within the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (PTWS), regional recommendations for Pacific Island Countries and Territories, and opportunities for future staff training through the Ocean Teacher Global Academy and tsunami warning centre competency programmes.
From Global Systems to Local Action
The stakeholder workshop featured presentations on the global tsunami warning and mitigation architecture, the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System, and Tonga’s national tsunami alert and response arrangements. Participants examined practical pathways for establishing a national Tsunami Ready programme, including governance arrangements, community recognition processes, available tools and resources, and requirements for achieving Tsunami Ready indicators.
Interactive discussions focused on tsunami hazard assessment, evacuation mapping, public education and awareness, warning dissemination systems, emergency response planning, and exercises. Case studies from across the Pacific and beyond—including Samoa, New Zealand, Indonesia, and regional IOC initiatives—provided practical examples to support Tonga’s implementation efforts.
International Partnership Supporting Tonga
The mission was supported by the United States Department of State Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response and the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through UNESCO-IOC and the International Tsunami Information Centre.
International resource persons supporting the workshops included Dr. Laura Kong, Director of the International Tsunami Information Centre; David Coetzee, Tsunami Response and Preparedness Expert; and Jiuta Korovulavula, National Professional Officer for Disaster Risk Reduction and Tsunami Warning at the UNESCO Office for the Pacific States and Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System for Pacific Island Countries and Territories
Looking Ahead
The workshops concluded with discussions on implementation priorities, capacity needs, and next steps for advancing tsunami preparedness across Tonga. Participants identified actions to strengthen national and community-level readiness, support coordination among agencies, and guide progress toward achieving UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready recognition for vulnerable coastal communities. Through strong national leadership and international cooperation, Tonga continues to advance efforts to protect lives, livelihoods, and communities from tsunami hazards while contributing to the global goal of building safer and more resilient coastal communities.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/tonga-advances-tsunami-preparedness-through-unesco-ioc-tsunami-ready-workshops?hub=701
