India’s Tsunami-Ready Villages Initiative

1. India aimsss to have 100 villages recognized as tsunami-ready under the Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme (TRRP).
2. Currently, 24 coastal villages in Odisha have been certified as tsunami-ready.
3. The certification is based on verification by the National Tsunami Ready Recognition Board (NTRB).
4. A tsunami-ready village is one that demonstrates high awareness about tsunami hazards, maintains hazard preparedness and mapping, displays public evacuation maps, has 24-hour warning systems, and conducts mock drills.

About UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme (TRRP)

1. The TRRP is an international voluntary community-based effort by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
2. Its aim is to strengthen risk prevention and mitigation across global coastal zones.
3. The programme uses 12 preparedness indicators to ensure consistent evaluation of villages.
4. Recognition under TRRP is renewable every four years.
5. In India, the programme is implemented by the NTRB, established under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
   • The NTRB is chaired by the Director of INCOIS and includes members from Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
     
     

India’s Other Efforts to Tackle Tsunami

1. Tsunami Risk Management Guidelines by NDMA recommend awareness generation, capacity building, education, training, and R&D for effective tsunami risk management.
2. The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) provides tsunami advisories to Indian Ocean countries, ensuring last-mile connectivity.
3. India uses advanced technology such as Bottom Pressure Recorders (BPRs), buoys, and satellite communication for tsunami warnings.
   
   

About UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)

1. The IOC was established in 1960 to promote international cooperation in marine sciences.
2. Its secretariat is located in Paris, France.
3. The IOC aims to improve management of oceans, coasts, and marine resources.
4. It has 152 Member States, including India.
5. The IOC coordinates the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030, also known as The Ocean Decade.