Tsunami Risk Management in the Context of the Pacific Islands

Tsunamis can be devastating. The 2004 Indian Ocean and 2011 Tohoku disasters provide frightening examples of the power of tsunamis. The Pacific has long been recognized as a place where tsunamis occur - the 'Pacific Ring of Fire' (PRF) contains regions of volcanoes and large earthquakes associated with tectonic plate motions that are ideal breeding grounds for tsunamis. The Pacific Ocean covers an area of 30 million km. Some 22 Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) are dotted throughout the Pacific and are vulnerable to varying degrees, to the effects of tsunamis generated locally, regionally and distantly tsunamis in the Pacific have claimed numerous lives, caused widespread damage to coastal infrastructure and heavily impacted natural ecosystems.