Locations
Strengthening School Preparedness for Tsunami in Asia-Pacific
Regional Tsunami Project
| Status: | Ongoing |
| Duration: | June 2017 - October 2025 |
| Budget: | US$4.4 million |
| Donor: | Government of Japan |
| Coverage: | Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam. |
| Focus Area: | Disaster Risk Reduction |
| Key Partners in Japan: | Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Cabinet Office, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) at Tohoku University |
| Partners in Project Countries: | National Disaster Management Organizations (NDMOs), Ministries of Education, local governments, community leaders, and NGOs across 24 countries |
| Regional and International Partners: | ASEAN, ESCAP, IFRC, UNDRR, UNESCO |
Background: Preparedness Save Lives
Tsunamis are one of the deadliest hazards in the Asia-Pacific region, posing significant threats to people’s lives and livelihoods. Between 1970 and 2022, disasters in Asia and the Pacific caused over 2 million deaths and USD 2.7 trillion in economic damages, of which tsunamis rank as the third deadliest and fourth most economically devastating hazard. Vulnerable populations, especially children, are often disproportionately affected due to physical, social, and informational barriers that limit their ability to respond effectively.
The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami are powerful reminders of the profound human and economic toll. Yet, preparedness can save lives. In Japan, tsunami readiness is more than policies, it’s a way of life. From regular drills, preserving historical knowledge of past tsunamis, to integrating disaster education into school curricula, a culture of preparedness was created. During the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, these practices proved vital. Communities that conducted frequent drills demonstrated faster and more collaborative evacuations.
“Everyone could have died if no training had been conducted regularly; it was not a miracle, the drills paid off.” – a resident noted
Summary
Since 2017, the UNDP and the Government of Japan have worked together under the regional Tsunami Project to strengthen school and community preparedness in 24 countries across the Asia-Pacific. The project follows Japan’s approach, whereby tsunami preparedness is embedded in the culture and children learn how to evacuate safely. The project helps schools, communities, and governments conduct regular drills, improve evacuation planning, and implement tsunami preparedness programmes.
Key Achievements
In total around 800 schools in 24 Asia-Pacific countries have participated in tsunami drills, engaging over 220,000 students, teachers, local officials, and community members.
- Indonesia: The project developed STEP-A, a mobile application enabling schools to assess their tsunami preparedness, now part of Indonesia’s national geospatial platform (InaRISK). In Bali, eight hotels signed an agreement with the local government to use their buildings as safe areas for the neighboring community in the event of a tsunami, marking a shift from school preparedness to whole of society preparedness.
- Papua New Guinea: Following tsunami evacuation drills, Milne Bay’s Provincial Administrator made a commitment to ensure all schools observe World Tsunami Awareness Day.
- Palau: A Presidential Proclamation marked September as the National Preparedness Month and all schools are expected to conduct evacuation drills annually.
- Sri Lanka: The Disaster Management Centre secured an annual US$ 125,000 budget for disaster preparedness activities including school awareness and tsunami drills.
- Thailand: The project trained over 240 high-risk tsunami schools across five provinces that were affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, in collaboration with the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), and the Thai Red Cross. The project developed National Guidelines for Tsunami Evacuation Plans and Drills for Schools in Thailand, which is now a critical resource that schools in tsunami-prone areas use to plan and conduct tsunami evacuation drills, including ensuring students with disabilities are prepared.
- Viet Nam: A five-year plan was developed to incorporate disaster education and drills into the national curriculum.
News
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Project Countries
Contact Information
Sooin Bang;
Project Manager, Regional Tsunami Project (Phase 4), UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub