The Workshop on the Update of the National Tsunami Hazard Map of Spain in Spain, Greece and Cyprus using the methodology applied for the preparation of evacuation maps in Italy (Taller Mapa Tsunami Nacional – España) has begun. It is a technical meeting dedicated to discussions between institutional decision-makers and the scientific community on the process of revising national tsunami hazard maps. The workshop involves representatives of the competent authorities, researchers (including from the INGV Tsunami Alert Centre) and experts in the field with the aim of supporting the updating of the maps, which are key tools for spatial planning, civil protection and risk management in coastal areas.
The initiative is designed to guide national authorities in the assessments necessary to update the maps, with particular attention to the integration of seismic tsunami sources through the use of the Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment (S-PTHA) approach. This approach allows tsunami hazard analysis to be carried out by considering the probability - calculated on the basis of various seismic scenarios - and the potential effects along the coast, helping to make inundation maps more consistent with current scientific knowledge and more usable in support of decision-making processes.
During the workshop, the NEAM-COMMITMENT project and the methodology adopted for the development of the new tsunami inundation maps will be presented, illustrating the scientific criteria and models used. The results obtained up to now will also be shared and a technical discussion with the participating experts will be initiated, aimed at gathering useful observations to refine the project parameters and verify the validity and operational applicability of the maps.
The workshop also provides an opportunity for discussion between the scientific and institutional communities, with the aim of increasing knowledge of tsunamis and, consequently, strengthening tsunami preparedness and protection processes to ensure that the tools developed are consistent with national and regional risk management needs.