Assessment of Tsunami Warning Mass Notification System in Fiji

Abstract

Fiji is a nation of more than 330 islands (106 of which are populated), embracing numerous coastal communities, coastal roads and structures. Its people and economy are extremely vulnerable to deadly tsunamis. Pacific Community (SPC) engaged Tonkin + Taylor International (T + TI) to assess Fiji’s existing tsunami early warning mass notification system, to develop technical specifications for the most appropriate tsunami early warning mass notification alarm system (TEWS) for the Suva Peninsula and, accordingly, identify suitable siren sites. The Fiji tsunami early warning system (TEWS), under the current T+TI contracted project scope, is limited to the key functions of a warning dissemination system design only. Improving the warning generation time is beyond the scope of this design. The effectiveness of the design hinges on MRD’s ability to reliably and accurately predict a tsunami event and identify the impact zone. Rapid onset disasters (i.e. earthquake and tsunami) monitoring and warning is highly challenging. To develop and support an efficient rapid alert notification system requires specialist design input, coupled with comprehensive central and local Government, commercial and community engagement. T+TI’s TEWS designers considered multiple approach mixing state of art advance technology and existing underutilized and unutilized systems to devising a rapid alert system specific to Fiji’s economic requirements. Such a system would provide an immediate focus on the Suva Peninsula, but could be rolled out nationwide as future funding permits.