UNESCO inaugurates the first tsunami ready community in Indonesia
On 28 May 2022 Tanjung Benoa district in Bali received their UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition, becoming the first Tsunami Ready Community in Indonesia. Guests from the Global Platform in Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) witnessed a School Evacuation drill at SMP 3 Kuta Selatan, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), prior to the inauguration ceremony.
The implementation of Tsunami Ready in Tanjung Benoa has involved the collaboration of various stakeholders among BMKG, Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Bali Province and Badung District, schools, and hotels that have prepared vertical tsunami evacuation sites, ready to be used by guests and residents.
The official certificate of recognition was handed over jointly by Mr Mohamed Djelid, and Prof. Dwikorita Karnawati, Chair of UNESCO-IOC and Head of BMKG. The ceremony was witnessed by the Vice Governor of Bali and UNDP Bangkok Regional Senior Advisor.
In his inauguration remarks, Director Djelid conveyed that the UNESCO-IOC recognition was given based on the achievement of Tanjung Benoa’s community in meeting the standards of 12 Tsunami Ready indicators to evaluate and mitigate the risk of tsunamis, as well as to cope with it.
The UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme aims at building resilient communities through awareness and preparedness strategies, to protect life, livelihoods and property from tsunamis. Its implementation contributes to the achievement of the societal outcome ‘A Safe Ocean’ of the Ocean Decade.
The recognition as a Tsunami Ready community increases the community’s motivation to succeed in Tsunami readiness. It also comes with the responsibility to submit an annual report of the progress and activities required in each indicator.
Progress has been noticed only a month after the Tsunami Ready Verification visit conducted by the Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Center. 40 new Tsunami Signs have been added by the community.
As the first recognized Tsunami Ready Community, the Vice Governor of Bali expects Kelurahan Tanjung Benoa to be a good example for other tsunami prone communities in Indonesia.
UNESCO-IOC also launched Tsunami Ready Communication Tools, a Tsunami Ready Board Game and 14 Animation Videos of Tsunami Ready Community that were experienced by GPDRR’s guests. For more information, click here.