GEOSS Support for Decision-Making in the Coastal Zone: Managing and Mitigating the Impacts of Human Activities and Natural Hazards in the Coastal Zone

A workshop series organized by the GEO Coastal Zone Community of Practice

Earth Observation Support for Sustainable Tourism in Small Island States
March 9-11, 2011, Puerto Rico

TSUNAMI READY PROGRAM IN PUERTO RICO

Victor Huérfano-Moreno, Carolina Hincapié-Cárdenas
Puerto Rico Seismic Network – University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

The danger of a tsunami in Puerto Rico is real. These natural events related as coastal hazard have the potential to affect any of the 44 coastal municipalities of the island. Since 1867, two tsunamis have affected the Puerto Rico coastal region, causing death and destruction in 1867 and 1918. Although the source of the historical tsunamis have been local earthquakes, they could also be generated by regional and distant earthquakes, landslide and much less likely by the impact of a meteorite or a volcanic eruption (in the case of Puerto Rico). Since 1996, the Puerto Rico Seismic Network (PRSN), with the support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) began the Puerto Rico Tsunami Warning and Mitigation Program which consist of six tasks: 1) preparation of tsunami flood and evacuation maps for the archipelago of Puerto Rico; 2) education about this “forgotten hazard”; 3) local (Puerto Rico) and regional (Caribbean) seismic wave form analysis for rapid determination of earthquake source parameters; 4) development of tsunami warning and advisories protocols; 5) preparation of a Atlantic and Caribbean Historical Tsunami Database; and 6) participation in the meetings of the USA National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program. Recently, with funding from NOAA and support from the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency, Municipal Emergency Management Offices and the UPRM, the PRSN is working towards the development of the Tsunami Ready program in Puerto Rico. As of today, eleven coastal municipalities have been recognized as Tsunami Ready by the National Weather Service and 12 are in progress. The Tsunami Ready Program was designed to help coastal communities to reduce the potential for disastrous tsunami-related consequences. The overall goal is to save lives and properties.