Observing the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004

22/12/2014

The Bureau of Meteorology is marking the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami this week with a range of activities which serve as a reminder of the tragedy, while raising awareness of the risks of tsunami in our region – and what to do in the event of a Tsunami Warning being issued.

Bureau Deputy Director for Hazards Warnings and Forecasts, Dr Ray Canterford, surveyed some of the worst affected areas in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. It was this experience that spurred him on as he led a dedicated team in the development of the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre.

With more than 230 000 lives lost, it is no exaggeration to describe this event as the greatest natural disaster in living memory. Entire towns and villages were wiped out, and a further 1.6 million people were displaced after a massive 9.1 magnitude undersea earthquake occurred off the coast of Northern Sumatra in Indonesia – generating a massive tsunami. Impacts were felt from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Maldives – as far away as the east coast of Africa, with estimated economic losses of $14 billion.

“It was very emotional, but also very inspiring how quickly everyone mobilised,” recalls Dr Canterford. “I’ve been involved in international work for over 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this in terms of countries coming together and supporting each other.

“The sheer scale of this event shifted priorities pretty quickly, with the project receiving a $69 million boost in the 2005 Federal Budget. This investment translated into infrastructure such as deep-ocean tsunami detection buoys and specialist research to deliver a world leading warning system for Australia and its neighbors in the Indian Ocean region.

“Several government agencies, including the Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia, the Attorney General’s Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade worked together to achieve the goal of a world class tsunami warning system,” said Dr Canterford.

“The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre is operated by the Bureau of Meteorology and Geoscience Australia, with GA providing highly accurate seismic data to analyse the undersea earthquake trigger, and the Bureau using sophisticated ocean modelling of the tsunami itself.

“Thousands of potential tsunami scenarios have been modelled which enable us to issue a Warning or No Threat Bulletin within a target of 30 minutes after an earthquake – and often more quickly.

“Since operations commenced the JATWC has issued over 400 Tsunami Bulletins for Australia. The majority of these have been No Threat Bulletins, providing greater certainty for the community after a significant earthquake. Eight Marine Threats have been identified for coastal areas with 128 warnings issued with surf lifesaving, emergency services and media partners advising the public of the risk of tsunami-generated dangerous tides and currents.

“The JATWC is the authority for warnings within Australia and its offshore territories and islands, but we must not forget what this event highlighted – a huge outpouring of support from the international community. From the initial response and recovery efforts this has translated into ongoing collaboration as global citizens working together to achieve common goals in the region,” Dr Canterford said.

In October 2011 this arrangement was formalised when Australia joined India and Indonesia as one of three countries providing real-time tsunami information to all countries bordering the Indian Ocean.

“Australia has played a major role in building the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System as well as the Australian system, and it’s something we can all be proud of. I will never forget standing on several beaches and villages in Phuket four weeks after the 2004 tsunami, among all the memorials and that total, terrible devastation.

“We must never forget that dreadful day, and we must always maintain our commitment and our vigilance to ensure that if such a tragedy happens again, we have the best possible systems, based on rigorous international collaboration and efficient, well-managed warning systems, to minimise the loss of life as far as we possibly can,” says Dr Canterford.

Biography for Dr Ray Canterford, PSM
Dr Ray Canterford is Deputy Director, Hazards, Warnings and Forecasts, at the Bureau of Meteorology. Dr Canterford was instrumental in the delivery of the Bureau’s component of the Australian Tsunami Warning System, and the establishment of the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre with Geoscience Australia. This required complex negotiations with multi-levels of government and internationally. Dr Canterford is credited as the driving force in marshalling international arrangements and actively leading a team with the right mix of professional expertise. He is Australia’s national representative for the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean Tsunami Warning Systems under the auspices of the UNESCO International Oceanographic Commission.In 2013 Dr Canterford was awarded a Public Service Medal (PSM) for: Outstanding public service in the delivery of improvements in forecasting and warning of natural hazards and weather, most notably for emergency and natural disaster response.

For further information go to:
Tsunami Warnings
Tsunami Blog
Indian Ocean Tsunami
Tsunami Animation