Advances in tsunami preparedness at the beginning of the Ocean Decade: the Costa Rica case
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/2675-2824069.21021scbKeywords:
Tsunami warning and mitigation systems, Tsunami ready, UN Ocean Decade, Tsunami monitoring, Tsunami preparednessAbstract
Following the 2004 Indian Ocean and the 2011 Tohoku earthquakes and tsunamis, there has been steady progress in tsunami science and preparedness worldwide. Currently, there are four Tsunami Warning and Mitigation Systems as Intergovernmental Coordination Groups (ICGs) coordinated by IOC/UNESCO. They include tsunami monitoring, warning, and response. They are mostly based on scientific knowledge including tsunami hazard assessments, 24/7 monitoring systems, agreed operational standard procedures (SOPs), redundant communication and community response mechanisms. Costa Rica has greatly increased its tsunami preparedness during the past six years, after the creation of SINAMOT (Sistema Nacional de Monitoreo de Tsunamis). SINAMOT works by characterizing the tsunami threat, encouraging, and supporting community preparedness, strengthening the existing tsunami warning SOPs and maintaining the sea level monitoring network. SINAMOT articulates with stakeholders and decision makers such as seismic monitoring networks, national and local government, emergency managers and committees. Four communities in Costa Rica have been recognized as Tsunami Ready by IOC/UNESCO, four more are recognized with pending guidelines and five more are working on fulfilling the requirements. Despite all the progress made, there is still plenty of work to do to have a safe and predictable ocean regarding tsunamis. Atypical tsunami sources are not yet incorporated in hazard assessments, there are many gaps in sea level monitoring, and capacity building is required in many aspects so that developing countries can be more autonomous in their tsunami preparedness and response. Our major challenges today worldwide are with staffing and funding, both to kick-off and to sustain the mentioned activities. Specifically, Costa Rica requires more physical oceanographers and geoscientists working on tsunami science and more funding to study the ocean (including sea level gauges and tsunami hazards assessment) to support the tsunami and other coastal hazard warning systems. This requires working together with communities and stakeholders to increase tsunami preparedness.
References
AN, C. & LIU, P. L. F. 2014. Characteristics of leading tsunami waves generated in three recent tsunami events. Journal of Earthquake and Tsunami, 8(3), 1440001, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1142/S1793431114400016
» https://doi.org/10.1142/S1793431114400016
ANGOVE, M., ARCAS, D., BAILEY, R., CARRASCO, P., COETZEE, D., FRY, B., GLEDHILL, K., HARADA, S., VON HILLEBRANDT-ANDRADE, C., KONG, L., MCCREERY, C., MCCURRACH, S. J., MIAO, Y., SAKYA, A. E. & SCHINDELÉ, F. 2019. Ocean observations required to minimize uncertainty in global tsunami forecasts, warnings, and emergency response. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 350, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00350
» https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00350
CARVAJAL, M., ARAYA-CORNEJO, C., SEPÚLVEDA, I., MELNICK, D. & HAASE, J. S. 2019. Nearly instantaneous tsunamis following the Mw 7.5 2018 Palu earthquake. Geophysical Research Letters, 46(10), 5117-5126, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL082578
» https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL082578
CHACÓN-BARRANTES, S. E. 2018. The 2017 México tsunami record, numerical modeling and threat assessment in Costa Rica. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 175(6), 1939-1950, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-018-1852-7
» https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-018-1852-7
CHACÓN-BARRANTES, S. E. & GUTIÉRREZ-ECHEVERRÍA, A. 2017. Tsunamis recorded in tide gauges at Costa Rica Pacific coast and their numerical modeling. Natural Hazards, 89(1), 295-311, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-017-2965-5
» https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-017-2965-5
CHACÓN-BARRANTES, S. E., MURILLO-GUTIÉRREZ, A. & RIVERA-CERDAS, F. 2021. Catálogo de tsunamis históricos de Costa Rica hasta el 2020 Heredia: EDUNA.
COMFORT, L. K., ZNATI, T., VOORTMAN, M., XERANDY, X. & FREITAG, L. E. 2012. Early detection of near-field tsunamis using underwater sensor networks. Science of Tsunami Hazards, 31(4), 231-243.
GEIST, E. L. 2002. Complex earthquake rupture and local tsunamis. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 107(B5), ESE2-1-ESE2-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JB000139
» https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JB000139
HEIDARZADEH, M., MUHARI, A. & WIJANARTO, A. B. 2019. Insights on the source of the 28 September 2018 Sulawesi Tsunami, Indonesia based on spectral analyses and numerical simulations. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 176(1), 25-43, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-018-2065-9
» https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-018-2065-9
HOWE, B. M., ARBIC, B. K., AUCAN, J., BARNES, C. R., BAYLIFF, N., BECKER, N., BUTLER, R., DOYLE, L., ELIPOT, S., JOHNSON, G. C., LANDERER, F., LENTZ, S., LUTHER, D. S., MÜLLER, M., MARIANO, J., PANAYOTOU, K., ROWE, C., OTA, H., SONG, Y. T., THOMAS, M., THOMAS, P. N., THOMPSON, P., TILMANN, F., WEBER, T. & WEINSTEIN, S. 2019. SMART cables for observing the global ocean: science and implementation. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 424. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00424
» https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00424
IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 2008. Working group on tsunamis and other hazards related to sea-level warning and mitigation systems (TOWS-WG) first meeting Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 2016. Tsunami watch operations. Global service definition document. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 2018. Limitations and challenges of early warning systems. case study: Palu-Donggala Tsunami 28 September 2018 Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 2019a. Tsunami Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 2019b. Working group on tsunamis and other hazards related to sea-level warning and mitigation systems (TOWS-WG). Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 2020. Working group on tsunamis and other hazards related to sea-level warning and mitigation systems (TOWS-WG) thirteenth meeting [online]. Paris: UNESCO Publishing. Available at: http://www.ioc-tsunami.org/index.php?option=com_oe&task=viewDocumentRecord&docID=26681 [Accessed: 15 June 2021].
» http://www.ioc-tsunami.org/index.php?option=com_oe&task=viewDocumentRecord&docID=26681
IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 2021. Working group on tsunamis and other hazards related to sea-level warning and mitigation systems (TOWS-WG) fourteenth meeting. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
KIM, S. K. & PARK, J. 2019. Innovation: monitoring sea level change in the arctic using GNSS-reflectometry [online]. Reston: GPS World - GNSS (GNSS Positioning Navigation Timing). Available at: https://www.gpsworld.com/a-tidal-shift-monitoring-sea-level-in-the-arctic-using-gnss/ [Accessed: 15 June 2021].
» https://www.gpsworld.com/a-tidal-shift-monitoring-sea-level-in-the-arctic-using-gnss/
LEGG, M. R., BORRERO, J. C. & SYNOLAKIS, C. E. 2003. Tsunami hazards from strike-slip earthquakes. AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, OS21D-06.
MORI, N., TAKAHASHI, T., YASUDA, T. & YANAGISAWA, H. 2011. Survey of 2011 Tohoku earthquake tsunami inundation and run-up. Geophysical Research Letters, 38(7), 6-11, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL049210
» https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL049210
NOAA (National Centers for Environmental Information), NCEI (National Centers for Environmental Information). NCEI/WDS Global historical tsunami database. Silver Spring: NOAA/NCEI, DOI: https://doi.org/10.7289/V5PN93H7
» https://doi.org/10.7289/V5PN93H7
RUIZ, J. A., FUENTES, M., RIQUELME, S., CAMPOS, J. & CISTERNAS, A. 2015. Numerical simulation of tsunami runup in northern Chile based on non-uniform k-2 slip distributions. Natural Hazards, 79(2), 1177-1198, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-015-1901-9
» https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-015-1901-9
SASSA, S. & TAKAGAWA, T. 2018. Liquefied gravity flow-induced tsunami: first evidence and comparison from the 2018 Indonesia Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami disasters. Landslides, 16, 195-200, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-1114-x
» https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-1114-x
SUGAWARA, D., IMAMURA, F., GOTO, K., MASTUMOTO, H. & MINOURA, K. 2013. The 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake tsunami: similarities and differences to the 869 jogan tsunami on the sendai plain. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 170(5), 831-843, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-012-0460-1
» https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-012-0460-1
VON HUENE, R., RANERO, C. R. & WATTS, P. 2004. Tsunamigenic slope failure along the Middle America Trench in two tectonic settings. Marine Geology, 203(3-4), 303-317, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0025-3227(03)00312-8
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Ocean and Coastal Research is an open-access journal available through SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online).
Ocean and Coastal Research journal title abbreviation is Ocean Coast. Res. and should be used in footnotes, references, and bibliographic entries.
All Ocean and Coastal Research scientific articles are freely available without charge to the user or institution. In accordance with the BOAI definition of open access, all contents are available to readers free of charge. Users may read, download, copy, and link to the full texts of the articles. They may be used for any lawful purpose without prior authorization from the publisher or the author, as long as proper credit is given to the original publication.
All Ocean and Coastal Research published scientific articles receive an individual Digital Object Identifier (DOI) persistent digital document identification.
All the content of the journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons License type BY. Authors retain the copyright and full publishing rights without restrictions.
More information on intellectual property can be found here and on Scielo's Open Acess Statement.
Ocean and Coastal Research is listed in Publons and reviewers and editors can add their verified peer review and editing history to their Publons profile.
Ocean and Coastal Research is indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and complies with principles of transparency and best practice for scholarly publications.
Ocean and Coastal Research is committed to the best standards in open-access publishing by adopting ethical and quality standards throughout the publishing process - from initial manuscript submission to the final article publication. This ensures authors that their work will have visibility, accessibility, reputation, usage, and impact in a sustainable model of scholarly publishing.
