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IUGG XXIV General Assembly July 2-13, 2007 Perugia, Italy
(S) - IASPEI - International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's
Interior
JSS003 Oral Presentation 1876
Tsunami early warning system in Thailand
Mrs. Sumalee Prachuab
Meteorologial Departmemt,Thailand Director Seismological Bureau IASPEI
The Indian Ocean Tsunami that occurred on 26 December 2004 was one of the greatest natural disaster
in the world. The destructive occurred in many countries in Asia around the Indian Ocean and as far as
the east coast of Africa . Total report of dead, among these countries more than 200,000. In , total
casualties in six provinces along the Andaman coast namely, Ranong, Phang-Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang
and Satun are approximately 5,395 dead with 8,457 injured and 2,932 still missing. The earthquake
occurred around 8 oclock (Local time) on Sunday and the first tsunami wave reach spent 2 hours
striking the Phuket Province . Wave period is found to vary from 5 to 15 minutes and wave heights vary
from 3 to 10 metres where Khao Luk in Phang-Nga Province was the highest tsunami wave and most
destructive in Thailand. Tsunami Early Warning (TEW) could reduce the lost of lives on December 2004
if TEW has established and functioned for the Indian Ocean . The basic required for TEW are very rapid
or real-time earthquake and sea-level evaluation, especially the first estimate of the magnitude, location
and depth of epicenter is needed immediatly. However, evacuation plans are necessary in order to save
human lives at location attacked by tsunami. Tsunami wave will hit different parts of coast line with
different strength and wave height. The effective plans with reliable inundation maps are required. In
order to produce such maps, a suitable wave model has to be adopted by using adequate Bathymetric
and topographic maps. In the TEW has been established under the National Disaster Warning Center
(NDWC) in May 2005. The NDWC acts as the center coordinating with other governmental agencies
concerned. In case of the big destructive disasters will occur and have to evacuate the people, NDWC
will make decision to announce the warning to people in effected areas. The Thai Meteorological
Department (TMD) is the organization responsible for monitoring, analyse and warning for all natural
hazards including earthquake information and Tsunami Warning to the public.
Keywords: tsunami, warning, bathymetric