NEW YORK, 7 NOV – As the world celebrated Tsunami Awareness Day yesterday, the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, emphasized the importance of early warning systems.
According to the emirate news agency, WAMthis is particularly important as recent disasters such as the devastating floods in Spain show the growing impact of extreme weather.
“This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, one of the most devastating disasters in recent history. More than 230,000 people lost their lives,” Guterres said in his message on the day.
He emphasized that approximately 700 million people worldwide are at risk of tsunamis and the best protection comes through the Early Warning for All initiative by the UN which aims to ensure universal access to life-saving warning systems.
Although tsunamis are rare, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) reports that they are among the deadliest natural disasters in the world.
These powerful tsunami waves, usually triggered by undersea earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or landslides, have caused more than 260,000 deaths in the past century, with economic losses exceeding US$280 billion. – Named
