Tsunami Early Warning System in India

Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (ITEWS)

• Established in 2007 after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
• Located and operated at INCOIS, Hyderabad
• Functions as a 24×7 operational tsunami warning centre
• Designed to detect tsunamigenic earthquakes, monitor sea-level changes, and issue timely advisories

Institutional and Scientific Framework

• Operates through an integrated national effort involving multiple institutions
• Key participating agencies include
  • Ministry of Earth Sciences
  • Department of Space
  • Department of Science and Technology
  • CSIR
  • Survey of India
  • National Institute of Ocean Technology
• Uses a real-time network of seismic stations and tide gauges

Operational Capabilities

• Real-time detection of undersea earthquakes in the Indian Ocean
• Tsunami warnings issued within 10–20 minutes of an earthquake
• Continuous monitoring of sea-level variations
• One of the first systems globally to introduce quantitative tsunami forecasts
• Operates with high reliability and minimal false alarms

Global Recognition and Role

• UNESCO–IOC accredited the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre as a Tsunami Service Provider
• Provides regional tsunami advisories to 28 Indian Ocean Rim countries
• Recognised alongside Indonesia and Australia as key service providers

Community Preparedness and Capacity Building

• Recent focus has shifted from technology to community readiness
• Conducts biennial Indian Ocean-wide tsunami drills
• Implements the UNESCO–IOC Tsunami Ready Initiative
• Objective is to ensure last-mile preparedness and effective local response

Tsunami Ready Initiative

• A community-based preparedness programme
• Promotes collaboration between
  • Local communities
  • Public authorities
  • Disaster management agencies
• Focuses on
  • Early warning dissemination
  • Evacuation planning
  • Community education
• Two villages in Odisha have been certified as Tsunami Ready
  • Venkatraipur in Ganjam district
  • Noliasahi in Jagatsinghpur district

Advanced Monitoring and Technological Upgrades

• INCOIS is establishing a network of 35 stations
• Purpose is to monitor tectonic plate movements in real time
• Measures vertical displacement under the sea
• Enhances accuracy of earthquake and tsunami modelling

Role of INCOIS

• Established in 1999 as an autonomous body
• Functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences
• Acts as the nodal agency for tsunami advisories in India
• Coordinates with State Disaster Management Authorities
• Conducts IOWave tsunami mock exercises
• Provides Potential Fishing Zone advisories for fishermen
• Uses geostationary satellites and numerical models to overcome cloud cover issues

Satellite-Based Warning Dissemination

• INCOIS has partnered with
  • ISRO
  • Airports Authority of India
• Developed satellite-based message broadcasting
• Uses India’s indigenous navigation system NaVIC
• Ensures fast and reliable dissemination of warnings

Understanding Tsunamis

• Tsunamis are caused by sudden vertical displacement of the sea floor
• Triggered by
  • Undersea earthquakes
  • Volcanic eruptions
  • Submarine landslides
• Travel at very high speeds in deep water
• Slow down and increase in height near shallow coastal regions
• Most frequent along subduction zones

Way Forward

• Tsunami Ready model should be expanded to all vulnerable coastal areas
• Community preparedness is as important as technological accuracy
• Public awareness of natural warning signs is crucial
• Integration of tsunami preparedness with cyclone and storm surge management
• Focus on education, drills, and local governance participation