TSUNAMI AND OTHER COASTAL HAZARDS WARNING SYSTEM FOR THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND ADJACENT REGIONS

Since 1498 there have been at least 94 tsunamis with runups reported in the Caribbean region causing 4652 deaths. Most of these tsunamis were associated with local submarine earthquakes and subaerial volcanic eruptions. Nevertheless, the Caribbean Sea region also has other potential tsunami-generating sources including tele tsunamis, subaerial and submarine landslides, and underwater volcanic eruptions. The first arrivals are usually within minutes, although in 1755 the region was impacted by the tsunami generated by the Lisbon earthquake which traveled several hours before impacting the coasts of the region. The Caribbean coasts have undergone explosive population and infrastructure growth, making the region more vulnerable to tsunamis than ever before. In consideration of great risk from this phenomenon and the lessons learned from these events in the Caribbean and elsewhere in the world efforts have been underway since the 90's to establish a tsunami warning system for the region. In 2005, under the leadership of Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCCO, the Intergovernmental Co-ordination Group for the Tsunami and other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean Sea and Adjacent Regions (ICG CARIBE-EWS) was established. The Caribbean system, unlike for other regions, has a multi hazard approach and focuses on all coastal hazards. The system also seeks to build upon existing capacities. The ICG CARIBE-EWS met for the first time in Barbados in 2006 and its second meeting was held in March 2007 in Cumaná, Venezuela. During the intersessional period activities have been carried out for the implementation of its action plan. Each of the countries in the region have been asked to name Tsunami Warning Focal Points and Tsunami National Contacts as part of the end to end warning system. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has been providing interim tsunami advisory service for the region since 2005 and as of June, 2007 the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center is responsible for issuing tsunami warnings also for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The main focus areas of the Caribbean Tsunami Warning System include: (1) Hazard risk assessment and research, (2) Monitoring, Detection Systems and Warning Guidance, (3) Warning Dissemination and Communication and (4) Preparedness, Readiness and Resilience.