News
El Jadida One Step Closer to Become ‘Tsunami Ready’
The CoastWAVE project seeks to build resilient communities through awareness and preparedness strategies that will protect life, livelihoods, and property from tsunamis in different regions.
At the University of Chouaib Doukkali (UCD), one of the 8 national partners of the CoastWAVE project, representatives of the Laboratory of Marine Geosciences and Soil Sciences (LGMSS), the University of El Jadida, the National Civil Protection Agency, , the Ministry of Interior, Solidarity Fund against Catastrophic Events, the Department of Meteorology, Tourismdelegates, the University of Montpellier, the Department of Ports and Maritime, the National Commission of UNESCO, IOC-UNESCO and the local media gathered for a meeting to discuss the actions to strengthen the resilience of the City of El-Jadida to tsunamis.
Opening the meeting, Prof. Bendahhou Zourarah, the director of LGMSS, UCD, highlighted the importance of international, national, and local collaboration in addressing the complex challenges of tsunami risk. "We must work together to build more resilient societies, enhance early warning systems, and ensure effective response and recovery mechanisms," said Prof. Zourarah.
Participants discussed a range of issues, including the need for more investment in tsunami alerting systems and integration of tsunami Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to the national Emergency Response Plans as well as the importance of raising public awareness about tsunami risks.
Dr Derya Vennin, CoastWAVE project coordinator, presented an overview of IOC UNESCO Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme and the CoastWAVE project and the upcoming activities of project. Participants also shared best practices and lessons learned from previous disasters, such as the 1755 Great Lisbon Earthquake that occurred in the Kingdom of Portugal on Saturday, 1 November 1755. The tsunami was accountable for most of the about 70,000 deaths in Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
One of the key themes of the meeting was the importance of incorporating the latest scientific research and technological innovations into early warning systems. This includes improved modeling, inundation, and evacuation mapping of tsunamis, as well as the development of real-time monitoring and communication systems. The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue working together to build a more resilient future in the face of tsunami risks.
Participants then proceeded with a ‘tsunami walk’ exercise with the participation of the media and students of UCD as part of the CoastWAVE project partners. The aim of the exercise was to raise tsunami awareness and help prepare the community of El Jadida against the risks of tsunamis.
‘Tsunami Walk’ Exercise
The exercise was organized by the University of Chouai Doukkali (UCD), a CoastWAVE national project implementing partner. During the exercise, the participants walked away from the coast following instructions from organizers and the designated evacuation routes to reach the refugee zone. The tsunami walk exercise was also a great opportunity for the students to learn about the dangers of tsunamis and how to stay safe in the event of an emergency. "I learned a lot today about what to do if there is a tsunami," said Maha Mounir, a participant in the exercise after reaching to the refugee zone in 10min.
"This exercise is important for our city, as we are at risk of natural hazards, including tsunamis," said Prof. Khalid El-Jadidi, the project coordinator of UCD. "By practicing our response to the emergencies as an individual, we are better prepared to handle any situation that may arise.
“Science for Sustainable Development” Conference
An ‘International Conference on Science for Sustainable Development’ was organized by the Laboratory of Marine Geosciences and Soil Sciences (LGMSS) of , preceding the meeting on Tsunami Ready. The conference featured presentations on tsunami risks in El Jadida/Morocco the status of implementing tsunami early warning and alerting systems, the progress of IOC-UNESCO Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme and scientific studies completed, contributing to make El Jadida Tsunami Ready.
For more information about the "Science for Sustainable Development" Conference, please .
