Tsunami Ready in Italy: first steps

The Italian Tsunami Alert Center of INGV (Centro Allerta Tsunami, CAT-INGV), one of the Tsunami Service Providers of NEAMTWS, has been working in the last few years for improving its warning and alerting capabilities: in recent events, initial messages have been issued between 7 and 10 minutes from the earthquakes. Other improvements of the upstream component of the TWS are being implemented. However, it is well known that the most critical part of the warning system is the so-called “last mile”, meaning the step of informing residents and tourists about the impending inundation. Therefore, a large effort is needed to fill this gap, and scientists are called to give their contribution in it. 

Among the ongoing activities to reach this objective, one of the most recent is the implementation of the Tsunami Ready (TR) Program in cooperation with Italian Civil Protection Department. TR is a virtuous model for dealing with tsunami risk, which also has numerous implications in terms of the responsibilities that can arise from a tsunami impact on the population and the environment. 

This is for at least two reasons. First, the direct involvement of citizens in the education and information process represents a significant step change because it ensures greater awareness that translates into greater citizen responsibility in tsunami risk management. In particular, the participation of citizens in the TLB (tsunami local board) requested by TR is a key element in this bottom-up risk management process.

Secondly, the adoption of internationally accredited guidelines represents a reliable parameter for determining the behavior to be adopted by public decision-makers. Therefore, when an adverse event occurs, having followed the highest available and internationally accredited standard of caution contributes to mitigating the (possible) criminal reproach against civil protection officers charged in risk management.

 

In 2020, we have started the path towards the implementation of Tsunami Ready in three municipalities in Italy, located in areas of high to moderate tsunami hazard (namely Minturno, Latium; Palmi, Calabria; Pachino/Marzamemi, Sicily). The response of local authorities has been enthusiastic in all three cases. By the end of 2020, two of them have released official resolutions launching the start of the program, followed by articles on local newspapers.