On December 26, 2004, more than 220,000 people died in around ten countries, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Since then, warning systems have improved in performance all over the world. France is not spared from the risks of tsunami. A national alert center was also inaugurated in 2012 in Essonne. Guided tour with Europe 1.
Asia and the world pay tribute to the victims of one of the worst natural disasters in history. On December 26, 2004, more than 220,000 people died in a tsunami affecting around ten countries, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. After a magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the island of Sumatra, waves caused by the earthquake were up to 30 meters high.
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Since then, warning systems have improved in performance all over the world. France is not spared from the risks of tsunami. A national alert center was also inaugurated in 2012 in Essonne. Guided tour with Europe 1.
Operators 24 hours a day
The alert resonates in the room where operators take turns 24 hours a day and on the immense planisphere projected on the wall, a colored point begins to flash. “This therefore indicates that there is a strong earthquake which could possibly generate a tsunami. And so in this case, our duty operators ensure the processing of the event, its characterization. And depending on the results, we distribute it to the French authorities. It is civil security which is responsible for ensuring the alert goes down to the local authorities: the prefectures and town halls”, explains Pascal Roudil, the seismologist responsible for the center.
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In fifteen minutes, the alert is therefore transmitted to evacuate the population. Since 2012, the center has only detected waves of a few centimeters in France which have caused no damage. “The Mediterranean part is more exposed to tsunami risk because we have active tectonic zones on the French coasts. We can estimate that at most we will have waves, perhaps three meters,” he explains.
Twelve centers around the world
“On the other hand, if there is a significant current, of 40 km/h, perhaps 50 km/h, at the coast level which arrives, we can have quite significant consequences. Certain cities, including the city of Cannes , for example, has built prevention systems and training systems for the population to be able to react quickly,” adds the seismologist.
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Around the world, twelve centers like this permanently monitor the coasts. Coordinated by UNESCO in 2004, there was only one, located in the Pacific.
