In the past 100 years, 58 tsunamis have claimed more than 260,000 lives, or an average of 4,600 per disaster. This surpasses any other natural hazard.

The highest number of deaths in this period was in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. It caused an estimated 227,000 fatalities in 14 countries, with Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand hardest-hit.

Today's event took place two weeks ahead of the 20th anniversary of a tsunami in Papua New Guinea which killed up to 2,700 people.

This year World Tsunami Awareness Day on 5 November includes a strong focus on inclusion as a key element to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and reduce disaster losses. 

Earlier, Mr Masato Takaoka, Ambassador of Japan to Mongolia, recalled the  international effort led by the Government of Japan that resulted in the UN General Assembly designating 5 November as World Tsunami Awareness Day.

The date for the annual celebration was chosen in honour of the Japanese story of “Inamura-no-hi”, meaning the “burning of the rice sheaves”. 

During an 1854 earthquake a farmer saw the tide receding, a sign of a looming tsunami. He set fire to his entire harvest to warn villagers, who fled to high ground. Afterwards, he built an embankment and planted trees as a buffer against future waves.

The session also featured: Dr. Arunee Limmanee, Advisor on Education and Employment, Association of the Physically Handicapped of Thailand; Ms Marikris de Guzman, Regional Focal Point for DRR in Asia, UN Major Group for Children and Youth; and Ms. Darin Kumnertrut, the Weather and Disaster News Editor of Thai Public Broadcasting Service – known affectionately as Mdm. Disaster by her millions of viewers.

Date:

4 Jul 2018

Sources:

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction - Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (UNISDR AP)

Themes:

Advocacy & Media

Hazards:

Tsunami

Countries:

Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand

Regions:

Asia, Oceania