Otranto, in Lecce province, is the first Apulian municipality to join the "Tsunami Ready" program, supported by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC). In fact, on April 18, 2023, the first presentation meeting of the Program was held at the municipal headquarters of the municipality.
On the occasion, a delegation of INGV's Tsunami Alert Center (CAT-INGV) researcher presented the 12 indicators to local and regional civil protection representatives validating the municipality's accreditation to the program under UNESCO's aegis.
During the meeting, participants discussed the procedure that led to the signing of municipal resolution No. 103 of 11/05/23 for the official joining of the municipality to the program.
In fact, Salento and Apulia in general have historically been affected by the effects of strong earthquakes that occurred in neighboring or distant areas, some of which generated a tsunami. Several are reported in historical catalogs from coeval sources, such as for the events of 1627 and 1743.
The most recent tsunami alerts affecting the municipality dated to 2023 (Turkey earthquake) and 2018 for an earthquake that occurred in Greece near the island of Zakynthos, for which a local Watch (red alert) and Advisory (orange) alert was issued for Calabria and Puglia, including the municipality of Otranto. Fortunately, the mechanism of this latest earthquake caused small sea level variations recorded at the tide gauge installed in Otranto harbor.
The tsunami risk in southern Apulia is high due to the hazardous of the area, which is exposed to the effects of seismogenic sources in the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, but also to the vulnerability of civil housing and tourist infrastructure near the coastal strip and the presence of many tourists from in the spring and summer season.
The Tsunami Ready program, developed by UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), is a global initiative to promote tsunami preparedness and resilience in coastal communities and involves the achievement of 12 indicators. More info in the "Tsunami Ready" section.
Italy participates in the program with three pilot municipalities that have joined the initiative in 2021 and are working to achieve recognition as Tsunami Ready communities: Minturno in the Lazio Region, Palmi in Calabria, and Pachino-Marzamemi in Sicily.