Sri Vijaya Puram, May 18: The Andaman and Nicobar Administration has stepped up efforts to strengthen tsunami preparedness across vulnerable coastal regions of the islands through a renewed push under the UNESCO-backed Tsunami Ready Programme, amid continuing concerns over the archipelago’s exposure to earthquakes and ocean-based disasters.
A half-day virtual workshop organised by the Directorate of Disaster Management in coordination with the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, brought together officials, village representatives, Tribal Captains and community stakeholders to discuss preparedness measures and implementation strategies for identified tsunami-prone villages across the Union Territory.
The workshop, held at the Mini Conference Hall of the Secretariat in Sri Vijaya Puram, focused on improving coastal community resilience and accelerating implementation of the Tsunami Ready Programme in 30 villages identified across the islands.
Officials said the programme is being implemented in view of the geographical vulnerability of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which lie in a seismically active region frequently exposed to earthquakes, tsunamis and other coastal hazards.
Addressing participants during the workshop, Secretary (Disaster Management) Pallavi Sarkar thanked INCOIS for extending technical support towards implementation of the programme in the islands. She urged district administrations, line departments, Panchayati Raj Institution members, Tribal Captains and community representatives to actively participate in the initiative aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness mechanisms.
The Tsunami Ready Programme is an international recognition initiative developed under UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to help coastal communities improve their ability to respond effectively to tsunami threats.
Under the programme, communities are assessed against internationally accepted indicators related to early warning dissemination, hazard mapping, evacuation planning, public awareness, mock drills and coordination systems among authorities and residents.
Officials explained that villages meeting the required preparedness indicators are recommended for certification as “Tsunami Ready” communities by UNESCO through the national evaluation process.
Director of Disaster Management Priyanka Kumari, while welcoming participants, outlined the role of various committees constituted at Union Territory, district and village levels for implementation of the programme across the islands.
The technical session was conducted virtually by scientists from INCOIS, including M.V. Sunanda and Dr. B. Ajay Kumar, who briefed participants about operational indicators and preparedness measures being implemented in the identified villages.
The scientists explained the evaluation mechanism through which preparedness indicators would be examined by a National Level Committee before recommendations are submitted to UNESCO for certification of tsunami-ready villages in the islands.
Participants were also briefed on components such as community awareness systems, evacuation signage, communication protocols, emergency coordination and mock drills designed to minimise loss of life and property during tsunami events.
Dr. T.M. Balakrishnan Nair, Director of INCOIS, highlighted the significance of the programme for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands given their geographical position along one of the world’s most seismically active regions.
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, triggered by a massive undersea earthquake near Sumatra, had caused widespread devastation across several parts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, exposing vulnerabilities in coastal disaster preparedness systems and permanently altering settlement patterns in certain regions.
Since then, authorities have increasingly focused on strengthening early warning infrastructure, evacuation planning and community-based preparedness initiatives across coastal areas.
Officials attending the workshop discussed the need for continuous public awareness, coordination between agencies and community participation in maintaining preparedness standards in tsunami-prone areas.
Representatives from district administrations, line departments, Panchayati Raj Institutions, village-level functionaries and tribal communities participated in the discussions through virtual mode and shared inputs related to local preparedness measures and disaster response challenges.
Authorities said the Tsunami Ready Programme aims not only to strengthen institutional disaster management systems but also to ensure that local communities are aware of warning signals, evacuation procedures and emergency response mechanisms during natural disasters.
The Administration said implementation of the programme across identified villages would continue through community engagement activities, training programmes, mock exercises and infrastructure preparedness measures in the coming months.
