Why the Tonga tsunami arrived much earlier and much larger than expected
The tsunami recorded at distant locations from the Tonga volcanic explosion arrived much earlier and was much larger than expected from an earthquake-generated tsunami. This event caused great difficulty in issuing timely and accurate tsunami warnings for the following three reasons described in the article.
Volunteered rapid disaster monitoring and mapping (VoRDM)
The Kingdom of Tonga and its people are reeling from the violent January 15 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano and the ensuing tsunami. CODATA TG FAIR Data for DRR, China GEO Aerospace Information Research Institute in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIR) and Tonkin + Taylors Disaster Risk Resilience team is working hard to map the devastation accurately and smoothly the way for more efficient humanitarian efforts and recovery.
Long-term planning crucial to Tonga’s recovery
As recovery efforts began in Tonga, after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano eruption and the tsunami that followed, the first priority will be to provide immediate relief to communities to save lives and respond to urgent needs. However, successful recovery must also incorporate long-term strategies of building back better and establishing resilience, mitigation, risk reduction and preparedness initiatives.
2021 floods: UN researchers aim to better prepare for climate risks
In July 2021, several European countries, including Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, were affected by catastrophic floods, causing deaths and widespread damage. According to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), such extreme weather events are expected to increase frequency and severity in the coming decades.
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