Tsunami Warning to Istanbul
The United Nations (UN) Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO said in its new report that the Mediterranean and nearby cities will be deeply affected by a tsunami that may arise. Saying that Marseille, Alexandria and Istanbul are in danger, the organization stated that the probability of a tsunami higher than one meter in the next 30 years is almost 100 percent.
The United Nations (UN) Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO, in its new report, announced that a tsunami that may occur may hit large cities in the Mediterranean or nearby.
Saying that Marseille, Alexandria and Istanbul are in danger, the organization stated that the probability of a tsunami higher than one meter in the next 30 years is almost 100 percent.
UNESCO said that while communities in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, where tsunamis occur, are often aware of the dangers, they are underestimated in other coastal areas, including the Mediterranean.
In the published report, UNESCO stressed that the new five at-risk cities and regions in the Mediterranean will join the other 40 “tsunami-ready” towns and cities in the 21 countries previously announced.
ISTANBUL IS ONE OF THE FIVE REGIONS ADDED TO THE LIST
The five cities identified in the report as at risk of tsunami are Marseille, Alexandria, Istanbul, Cannes, a town near Cádiz on Spain’s Atlantic coast, and Chipiona.
The “Tsunami-ready” program stands out as part of UNESCO’s broader effort ahead of next week’s UN Oceans conference in Lisbon.
The aim of the program is to ensure that all communities at risk know what to do in the event of a tsunami that may occur by 2030.
Speaking about the program, Unesco chief tsunami expert Bernardo Aliaga said, “The tsunamis in 2004 and 2011 were a wake-up call,” adding, “We’ve come a long way since 2004. We are safer today. “But there are gaps in preparation and we need to improve, we need to make sure the warnings are understood by visitors and communities.”
“Work has been done to establish 12 tsunami warning centers that cover most of the ocean, including the Mediterranean,” said Aliaga, adding, “The tsunami risk is underestimated in most regions, including the Mediterranean.”