On 5 November, World Tsunami Awareness Day is celebrated worldwide, providing an opportunity to highlight the importance of risk awareness and preparedness amongst coastal communities. In this context, the Tsunami Alert Centre (CAT) of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology is constantly engaged in activities aimed at the public to improve understanding of tsunamis and raise awareness of the risks along the Italian coastline. Alongside its monitoring and warning activities, the CAT organises public meetings, school initiatives, educational activities and drills to raise awareness of the phenomenon and the appropriate actions to take.
One for all… All for one
UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)’s theme for 2026, ‘Be Tsunami Ready: Resilience Starts with You’, highlights the importance of individual preparedness, recognising that every person has a role to play in building better-prepared and safer communities. When a tsunami occurs, the time available to get to safety can be very limited. In some circumstances, in fact, the waves may reach the coast before an official warning is issued. For this reason, if you feel a strong earthquake along or near the coast, it is essential to move away from the sea immediately, be familiar with evacuation routes and reach a safe place by moving to higher ground or inland.
Informed citizens = Prepared citizens
Through the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready programme, the CAT collaborates with the Department of Civil Protection (DPC), the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) and local authorities to strengthen the preparedness of coastal communities. The activities involve members of the public, students, teachers and volunteers, with a particular focus on understanding warning messages and the active participation of the population.
To date in Italy, the municipalities of Minturno and Palmi have been awarded ‘Tsunami Ready’ status by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO). As highlighted in the UNDRR’s Concept Note 2026, early warning systems can save lives when the information is understood and people know how to respond. It is also important that preparedness involves everyone, including the most vulnerable.
Account must be taken of the needs of children, older people, people with disabilities, tourists and anyone who may face greater difficulties in understanding a warning or reaching a place of safety. Clear information, familiar routes and inclusive plans help to ensure that no one is left behind.This initiative forms part of the path set out by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, which promotes the strengthening of risk awareness and early warning systems, in line with the United Nations’ ‘Early Warnings for All’ initiative.