UN tsunami warning system for the Mediterranean passes first test

UN tsunami warning system for the Mediterranean passes first test

2011-08-11 04:58:30 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The first test of the communication network of the United Nations-backed tsunami warning system for the Mediterranean was carried out successfully on Wednesday, paving the way for the establishment of regional tsunami warning centers, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Tsunami warning focal points of 31 countries in the region were involved in the test of the system, which was initiated under the direction of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) in 2005.

A test message was set via e-mail, fax and the Global Telecommunications System from the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI) in Turkey to the 31 focal points. Early results show the messages were well received within a few minutes of being sent.

"The purpose of the test was to ensure the effective communication between potential regional and national tsunami warning focal points," said Ocal Necmioglu, co-chair of the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System for the North-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas (NEAMTWS) and lead scientist for Wednesday's exercise.

The success of this first test paves the way for the establishment of regional tsunami warning centers. The first two, Turkey's KOERI and the Atomic Energy Center in France, should be operational in 2012 when a more exhaustive test will be conducted. Others are planned for Greece, Italy and Portugal at a later date.

"This past decade alone has shown us the terrible destructive power of earthquakes and tsunami on several occasions," said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. "Today's test represents a significant step towards improving security for the lives of tens of millions of people in the North-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, and meeting UNESCO's ambition of establishing early warning systems globally."

The NEAMTWS is one of four regional systems which are coordinated by the IOC globally. Similar systems already exist for the Pacific and Indian oceans and for the Caribbean.

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