# Presentation: 078918

## Interim Warning Procedures 

**and the**
**Communication Plan for the Interim Tsunami Advisory Information Service**
*Dr. Charles McCreery, Director*
* **NOAA Richard H. Hagemeyer Pacific Tsunami Warning Center*
*Ewa Beach, Hawaii USA*
*T. Hachimine, Director*
*Japan Tsunami Warning Center*
*Tokyo, Japan*

## PTWC KEY OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES

**PTWC KEY OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES**
**FOR PACIFIC EVENTS**
**SEISMIC DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSES**
**SEA LEVEL MEASUREMENTS**
**DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES**
**MESSAGE CREATION & DISSEMINATION**

## PTWC KEY OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES

**PTWC KEY OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES**
**FOR INDIAN OCEAN REGION EVENTS**
**SEISMIC DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSES**
**SEA LEVEL MEASUREMENTS**
**DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES**
**MESSAGE CREATION & DISSEMINATION**

## Frequency of Each Type of Bulletin

| 
Bulletin Type | 
Frequency of Bulletin
 |
| --- | --- |
| 
Tsunami Information Bulletin
 | 
  1 or 2 times per year |
| 
Local Tsunami Watch
 | 
  Once every 25 years |
| 
Regional Tsunami Watch
 | 
  Once every 25 years |
| 
Ocean-Wide Tsunami Watch
 | 
  Once every 8 years |

- (based on last 100 years of events)

## Seismic criteria for PTWC IO Advisories

**Seismic criteria for PTWC IO Advisories**

| Depth | Location | (Mw) | Tsunami Potential | Bulletin Type |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| < 100 km | Under or very near the sea | 6.5 to 7.0 | Very small potential for a destructive local tsunami | Information Bulletin |
|  |  | 7.1 to 7.5 | Potential for a  destructive local tsunami | Local
Tsunami Watch |
|  |  | 7.6 to 7.8 | Potential for a  destructive regional tsunami | Regional Tsunami Watch |
|  |  | ≥ 7.9 | Potential for a 
destructive ocean-wide tsunami | Ocean-wide Tsunami Watch |
|  | Inland |  6.5 | No tsunami potential | Information Bulletin |
| ≥ 100 km | All Locations | ≥ 6.5 | No tsunami potential | Information Bulletin |

## PTWC Global Seismic Network

**PTWC Global Seismic Network**

## P-WAVE TRAVEL TIMES                   FOR 12/26/04 EARTHQUAKE

## INTERACTIVE TOOL TO DETERMINE

**INTERACTIVE TOOL TO DETERMINE**
**M****wp**
**MOMENT**
**MAGNITUDE**

## PERFORMANCE OF PTWC Mwp

**M****wp**** (PTWC)**

**Mw (Harvard)**

## ISSUE TIME OF PTWC INITIAL BULLETINS FOR PACIFIC TELESEISMIC EARTHQUAKES

## Sea Level Stations

- currently contributing data to PTWC

## Sample Tsunami Information Bulletin

**TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 001**
**PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS**
**ISSUED AT 0117Z 11 APR 2005**
**THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.**
**... TSUNAMI INFORMATION BULLETIN ...**
**THIS MESSAGE IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.**
**AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS**
** ****ORIGIN TIME -  0100Z 11 APR 2005**
** ****COORDINATES -   1.3 NORTH   97.5 EAST **
** ****LOCATION    -  NORTHERN SUMATERA  INDONESIA**
** ****MAGNITUDE   -  6.7**

## Sample                                         Tsunami Information Bulletin (cont’d)

**EVALUATION**
** ****A DESTRUCTIVE WIDESPREAD TSUNAMI THREAT DOES NOT EXIST BASED ON     **
** ****HISTORICAL EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI DATA.                             **
**                                                                     **
** ****HOWEVER - THERE IS A VERY SMALL POSSIBILITY OF A LOCAL TSUNAMI      **
** ****THAT COULD AFFECT COASTS LOCATED USUALLY NO MORE THAN A HUNDRED     **
** ****KILOMETERS FROM THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. AUTHORITIES IN THE        **
** ****REGION NEAR THE EPICENTER SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS              **
** ****POSSIBILITY. **
**                                                       **
**THIS WILL BE THE ONLY BULLETIN ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI**
**WARNING CENTER FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**
**BECOMES AVAILABLE.**
**THE JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**
**FOR THIS EVENT.**

## Sample Local                                Tsunami Watch Supplement

**TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 002**
**PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS**
**ISSUED AT 0354Z 11 APR 2005**
**  **
**THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.**
**... A LOCAL TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT ...**
** **** **
**A TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR**
** **
** ****INDONESIA **
**  **
**FOR OTHER AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN REGION, THIS MESSAGE IS AN**
**ADVISORY ONLY.**
**  **
**AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS**
** ****ORIGIN TIME -  0100Z 11 APR 2005**
** ****COORDINATES -   1.3 NORTH   97.5 EAST **
** ****LOCATION    -  NORTHERN SUMATERA  INDONESIA**
** ****MAGNITUDE   -  7.2**

## Sample Local Tsunami Watch Supplement (con’d)

**MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY**
** ****GAUGE LOCATION        LAT   LON    TIME    AMPL    PER**
** ****-------------------  ----- ------  -----  ------  -----**
** ****MALE                  4.2N  73.5E  0448Z   0.19M  14MIN**
** ****COLOMBO               6.9N  79.8E  0345Z   0.15M  22MIN**
** **
** ****TIME - TIME OF THE MEASUREMENT**
** ****AMPL - AMPLITUDE IN METERS FROM MIDDLE TO CREST OR MIDDLE**
**        ****TO TROUGH OR HALF OF THE CREST TO TROUGH**
** ****PER  - PERIOD OF TIME FROM ONE WAVE CREST TO THE NEXT**
**EVALUATION**
** ****SEA LEVEL READINGS INDICATE A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. IT MAY HAVE    **
** ****BEEN DESTRUCTIVE ALONG COASTS NEAR THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. FOR    **
** ****THOSE AREAS - WHEN DAMAGING WAVES HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST    **
** ****TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED.   **
** ****DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL     **
** ****HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS.  AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A       **
** ****WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION   **
** ****MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.                                  **
**                                                                     **
** ****NO TSUNAMI THREAT EXISTS FOR OTHER COASTAL AREAS IN THE INDIAN      **
** ****OCEAN ALTHOUGH SOME OTHER AREAS MAY EXPERIENCE SMALL SEA LEVEL      **
** ****CHANGES.                   **
**                                         **
** ****DUE TO ONLY LIMITED SEA LEVEL DATA FROM THE REGION IT IS NOT**
** ****POSSIBLE FOR THIS CENTER TO RAPIDLY NOR ACCURATELY EVALUATE THE**
** ****THE STRENGTH OF A TSUNAMI IF ONE HAS BEEN GENERATED.**

## Sample Local                                                    Tsunami Watch Supplement (cont’d)

**ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES. ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIMES**
**MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. THE TIME**
**BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE TSUNAMI WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.**
** ****LOCATION                            COORDINATES     ARRIVAL TIME**
** ****--------------------------------    ------------    ------------**
** ****INDONESIA        SIMEULUE            2.5N  96.0E    0134Z 11 APR**
**                  ****SIBERUT             1.5S  98.7E    0144Z 11 APR**
**                  ****PADANG              0.9S 100.1E    0214Z 11 APR**
**                  ****BANDA ACEH          5.5N  95.1E    0223Z 11 APR**
**                  ****BENGKULU            3.9S 102.0E    0238Z 11 APR**
**                  ****BANDAR LAMPUNG      6.0S 105.5E    0338Z 11 APR**
**                  ****CILACAP             7.8S 108.9E    0351Z 11 APR**
**                  ****BALI                9.0S 115.5E    0433Z 11 APR**
**                  ****BELAWAN             3.8N  98.8E    0544Z 11 APR**
**                  ****KUPANG             10.0S 123.4E    0549Z 11 APR**
**THIS WILL BE THE FINAL BULLETIN ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI**
**WARNING CENTER FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**
**BECOMES AVAILABLE.**
**THE JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**
**FOR THIS EVENT.**

## PTWC Preliminary

- Forecast Points

## FORECAST POINTS

**FORECAST POINTS**
**USED TO DETERMINE IF AN AREA IS IN A WATCH**
**TSUNAMI ETA’S FOR FORECAST POINTS GIVEN IN BULLETINS IF AREA IS IN A WATCH**
**PRELIMINARY ONES TAKEN FROM ATLAS – NEEDS REVIEW BY MEMBER STATES**
**SHOULD BE RECOGNIZABLE PLACES**
**NEED ADEQUATE COVERAGE OF COASTS - ONE EVERY FEW HUNDRED KILOMETERS**
**NOT TOO MANY OR BULLETINS TOO LONG**

## WMO (GTS) PRODUCT IDENTIFIERS FOR PTWC PRODUCTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

| Bulletin Type | WMO Identifier | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tsunami Information
 | WEIO23 PHEB | Advise Government Agencies |
| Tsunami Watch
 | WEIO21 PHEB | Advise Government Agencies |
| Tsunami Information | WEIO33 PHEB
(ready but not used) | Advise the Public and Media |
| Tsunami Watch | WEIO31 PHEB
(ready but not used) | Advise the Public and Media |
| Earthquake Information | SEIO61 PHEB
(ready but not used) | Exchange of initial earthquake params |

## COMMUNICATIONS PLAN for the INTERIM

**COMMUNICATIONS PLAN for the INTERIM**
**TSUNAMI ADVISORY INFORMATION SERVICE**
**GENERAL REFERENCE MANUAL FOR THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY INFORMATION SERVICE**
**DESCRIPTION OF WARNING CENTERS’ PROCEDURES FOR ISSUING BULLETINS**
**DESCRIPTION OF BULLETINS AND THEIR MEANING**
**DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNICATION METHODS FOR MESSAGE DISSEMINATION**
**REFERENCE FOR DESIGNATED CONTACT POINTS OF EACH COUNTRY**

## COMMUNICATIONS METHODS                FOR THE INDIAN OCEAN

**COMMUNICATIONS METHODS                FOR THE INDIAN OCEAN**
**KEEP IT SIMPLER THAN IN THE PACIFIC**
**GTS AS THE BACKBONE SYSTEM**
**TELEFAX AND EMAIL AS ALTERNATE METHODS**
**CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT?**
**PERSON-TO-PERSON TELEPHONE CONTACT SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED, BUT MAY BE USED**

## MEDIA NOTIFICATION

**MEDIA NOTIFICATION**
**MEDIA CAN AND WILL SUBSCRIBE TO PRODUCTS AND REPORT ON THEM**
**MEDIA CAN BE PARTNER TO QUICKLY ALERT PUBLIC**
**ACTIVATE PUBLIC / MEDIA PRODUCTS?**
**CONTROL OF PUBLIC / MEDIA MESSAGE**
**WHAT WOULD BE THE MESSAGE?**

## MONTHLY COMMUNICATION TESTS

**MONTHLY COMMUNICATION TESTS**
**IDENTIFY THE MOST EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION METHODS**
**VERIFY MESSAGE CIRCUITS WORKING (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY)**
**EXERCISE THE SYSTEM**
**MAINTAIN AWARENESS OF THE HAZARD**

## Sample Communication Test

**TEST...TSUNAMI DUMMY – COMMUNICATIONS TEST...TEST**
**PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS**
**ISSUED AT 0315Z 11 APR 2005**
**  **
**FROM: PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER IN EWA BEACH HAWAII**
**  **
**TO: TSUNAMI CONTACT POINTS FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES IN **
**    ****THE INDIAN OCEAN REGION**
**  **
**      ****AUSTRALIA  ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****BANGLADESH ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****FRANCE     ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****INDIA      ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****INDONESIA  ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****IRAN       ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****KENYA      ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****MADAGASCAR ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****MALAYSIA   ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****MALDIVES   ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**      ****MAURITIUS  ****– NAME OF DESIGNATED CONTACT POINT**
**        ****.**
**        ****.**
**--- ALL OTHERS PLEASE DISREGARD ---**

## Sample Communication Test (cont’d)

**SUBJECT:  TSUNAMI DUMMY (COMMUNICATION TEST).**
**THIS IS A TEST TO VERIFY COMMUNICATION LINKS AND DETERMINE**
**TRANSMISSION TIMES INVOLVED IN DISSEMINATION OF TSUNAMI **
**ADVISORY INFORMATION TO THE INDIAN OCEAN REGION.**
**RECIPIENTS ARE REQUESTED TO PLEASE RESPOND BACK TO THE**
**PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER. THE RESPONSE SHOULD INCLUDE**
**   ****1 - NAME OF OFFICE THAT RECEIVED THIS TEST**
**   ****2 - METHOD OR METHODS BY WHICH OFFICE RECEIVED THIS TEST**
**   ****3 - INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS OR FAX NUMBER OF EACH METHOD**
**   ****3 - TIME OF RECEIPT OF THIS TEST BY EACH METHOD**
**PLEASE RESPOND VIA ONE OF THE FOLLOWING**
**   ****EMAIL   -  PTWC@PTWC.NOAA.GOV**
**   ****TELEFAX -  808-689-4543**
**THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS COMMUNICATION TEST.**

## 7.  Tsunami Watch Information on M8.5 Sumatra Earthquake on 28 Mar. 

**TSUNAMI WATCH INFOMATION NUMBER 001**
**     ****ISSUED BY SEISMOLOGICAL AND VOLCANOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT (JMA)**
**     ****ISSUED AT 1723 28 MAR 2005 (UTC) **
**1. EARTHQUAKE INFORMATION**
**      ****ORIGIN TIME :  1610 28 MAR 2005 (UTC)**
**      ****COORDINATES :  2.3 NORTH  97.1 EAST**
**      ****LOCATION    :  NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA**
**      ****MAGNITUDE   :  8.5**
**2. POSSIBILITY TSUNAMI GENERATION**
**      ****THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF AN OCEAN-WIDE DESTRUCTIVE**
**      ****TSUNAMI IN THE INDIAN OCEAN**

-  Earthquake Information

- Possibility of Tsunami Generation

**** ******Tsunami Watch Information is considered subordinate to the Tsunami Warning  in terms of both accuracy and timeliness***

- 7

*Japan Meteorological Agency     14 April **2005*

## 9.  Tsunami Watch Information on M8.5 Sumatra Earthquake on 28 Mar (continuation)

**      ****ONE HOUR OR LESS**
**         ****INDIA:**
**             ****ALL COASTS OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS**
**         ****INDONESIA:**
**             ****INDIAN OCEAN COAST OF SUMATRA**
**      ****ONE HOUR TO THREE HOURS**
**         ****INDIA:**
**             ****BENGAL BAY COAST**
**         ****SRI LANKA:**
**             ****ALL COASTS**
**         ****THAILAND:**
**             ****MALACCA COAST**
**         ****AUSTRALIA:**
**             ****COCOS ISLANDS**
**--- *snip* ---**
***TSUNAMI TRAVEL TIME IS ESTIMATED ONLY FROM EARTHQUAKE DATA**
** ****AND INDICATES THE TIME LAPSE BETWEEN ORIGIN TIME AND TSUNAMI**
** ****ARRIVAL TIME**
***THIS WILL BE THE FINAL INFORMATION UNLESS THERE ARE CHANGES**
** ****ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF TSUNAMI GENERATION AND ESTIMATED TSUNAMI**
** ****TRAVEL TIME BY RE-EVALUATION OF THE EARTHQUAKE OR THERE ARE**
** ****REPORTS ON TSUNAMI OBSERVATIONS.**

*9.  Tsunami Watch Information on M8.5 Sumatra Earthquake on 28 Mar* *(continuation)*

_**Estimated Tsunami Travel Time**_

- 9

## 11.  Reception of the Tsunami Watch Information

**Registration****                                                                    ****	*****Designated governmental organization(s)           ******	******	******	******	******                  /department(s)                                         ******	******	******	******                           /officer(s)***
- - **Available means of communication**
***	******1. Internet mail***
***	******2. Global Telecommunication System   ******	******             ***
***             ******(GTS) of the World Meteorological    ***
***             ******Organization (WMO)***
***	******3. Facsimile transmission***
**- Test Message**

*Japan Meteorological Agency     14 April **2005*

- 11

## 12.  Tsunami Watch Information for the M 6.8 Sumatra Earthquake on 10th APR 2005         

** ****ISSUED BY SEISMOLOGICAL AND VOLCANOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT (JMA)**
** ****ISSUED AT 1056 10 APR 2005 (UTC)**
** **
**1.EARTHQUAKE INFORMATION**
** ****ORIGIN TIME : 1029 10 APR 2005 (UTC)**
** ****COORDINATES : 1.1 SOUTH 99.4 EAST**
** ****LOCATION    : SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA**
** ****MAGNITUDE   : 6.8**
** **
**2.EVALUATION**
** ****THERE IS A VERY SMALL POSSIBILITY OF A DESTRUCTIVE LOCAL**
** ****TSUNAMI IN THE INDIAN OCEAN.**
** **
** **
***THIS WILL BE THE FINAL INFORMATION UNLESS THERE ARE CHANGES **
** ****ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF TSUNAMI GENERATION AND ESTIMATED TSUNAMI**
** ****TRAVEL TIME BY RE-EVALUATION OF THE EARTHQUAKE OR THERE ARE**
** ****REPORTS ON TSUNAMI OBSERVATIONS.**
** **
*********************************************************************
**RECIPIENTS ARE INVITED TO CHECK THE MARCH 2005 ISSUE OF THE WORLD**
**WEATHER WATCH OPERATIONAL NEWSLETTER FOR THE OBJECTIVES OF TWI.**
*********************************************************************

*12.  Tsunami Watch Information for the M 6.8 Sumatra Earthquake on 10th APR 2005         *

*Japan Meteorological Agency     14 April **2005*

- 12

## Timing of issuance ofTsunami Watch Information

_**The Tsunami Watch Information**_

**       *****will be made as amendments and/or updates ***
***       ******in consideration of newly available seismic data***
***       ******and reports on actual sea-level observations***

_**Subsequent Issues**_

*Timing of issuance of**Tsunami Watch Information*

- 13

*Japan Meteorological Agency     14 April **2005*