This year’s World Tsunami Awareness Day focused on the importance of disaster-resilient infrastructure, early warning and education. UNDP marked the day with inspiring stories, opinion editorials and tsunami drills in schools across the Asia-Pacific region.

"With new students entering school every year, strengthening school preparedness helps us to build resilient generations." Read the op-ed by Asako Okai, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Crisis Bureau on the importance of tsunami awareness. Read the op-ed in Japanese.

Elena Tischenko, Chief, Strategic Planning and Oversight, RBAP NY represented UNDP which co-organised the High-level event on the occasion of World Tsunami Awareness Day 2019, with the Missions of Australia, Chile, Japan, Indonesia, Norway, Maldives and Peru, and the UNDRR. In her remarks she highlighted that over 100,000 students from over 250 schools in 19 countries had been trained on tsunami awareness and drills. At the reception, a short film showing how preparedness and resilient infrastructure can save lives in thousands of schools located in coastal areas in the region was screened. The film was produced jointly by UNDP and UNDRR in Asia-Pacific. Watch the video:

Tsunami Awareness drills in 8 countries marked the day: 

In India, 1,700 students were trained in tsunami drills in Andhra Pradesh - Watch the video of the drills. UNDP India produced an animated film for students to recognize tsunami warning signs and respond. Watch the video: 

In Viet Nam, nearly 500 students were trained in tsunami drills in Quang Nam province. To date, UNDP Viet Nam has organized eight advocacy and dialogue events in five provinces and conducted six school drills with participation of more than 6,000 students and teachers. Read the article and watch the video:

In the Philippines, 54 schools in 8 municipalities conducted simultaneous drills across Siargao Island training more than 1000 students. Read the op-ed by Enrico Gaveglia, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Philippines.

In Bangladesh, 50 students were trained in tsunami drills in Moheshkhali district. Watch the video:

In Fiji, 662 students, teachers, members of the school administration of four schools along the Suva peninsula participated in tsunami drills. These schools include Fiji School for the Blind, Marist Champagnat Institute, Saint Marcellin Primary School and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Primary School. See the photo quotes: 

In Indonesia, 390 students of the SMP Taman Sastra school in Bali participated in the tsunami drill: the result of a collaboration between UNDP and local government of Badung District. On 06 Nov 2019, a talk show in Jimbaran Bali, near the school location, attended by 67 participants discussed the youth’s role in disaster preparedness. See the photos:

In Papua New Guinea: 1,000 students from KB Primary School participated in their school drill – they took a record 12 minutes 66 seconds to evacuate from the school to their safe zone at KB United Church. "It's peace of mind knowing your kids are able to respond in an orderly fashion to instances of disaster, and that they have identified a safe place where we can check on them", said a parent.

In Sri-Lanka, 290 participants including students, teachers, parents and officials from the DMC attended an education session on tsunami preparedness conducted by UNDP Sri Lanka.
 

Recently for #WorldTsunamiAwarenessDay, a session was conducted by @UNDP #lka together w/ GovSL🇱🇰 @dmc_lk & @JapanGov 🇯🇵 for over 250 students of the Ginthota Maha Vidyalaya in📍Galle, #SriLanka who are now prepared to face a #tsunami 🌊#PrepareToWin #BuildToLast #TsunamiDay pic.twitter.com/9fwvjylruj

— UNDP in Sri Lanka (@UNDPSriLanka) November 8, 2019