International Tsunami Information Center |
E-mail: itic.tsunami@noaa.gov |
Located in Honolulu, the International Tsunami Information Centre (ITIC) was established IOC Resolution IV-6 in November 1965 by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It is hosted by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service, who provides the Director and office staff in Honolulu, Hawaii. Since 1998, Chileʻs Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (Servicio Hidrográfico y Oceanográfico de la Armada de Chile) has provided the Associate Director (as per IOC Resolution EC-IV.6, 1974). ITICʻs mandate and functions in support of Member States of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/PTWS, formerly ITSU) were approved by IOC Resolution X-23 (1977, with clarification in 1988 IOC Resolution EC-XXI.4). ITIC maintains and develops relationships with scientific research and academic organizations, civil defense agencies, and the general public in order to carry out its mission to mitigate the hazards associated with tsunamis by improving tsunami preparedness for all Pacific Ocean nations. ITIC also assists and supports the other IOC Global Tsunami Warning and Mitigation systems (IOC Resolution XXIII-12, 13, 14 (Indian, Caribbean, and Mediterranean respectively,2005).
The ITIC also maintains an office in Mayaquez, Puerto Rico. The ITIC Caribbean Office (ITIC-CA), established in 2010 as the Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program, reorganized to the ITIC in 2017, and renamed in 2021, supports the IOC's Caribbean Tsunami Information Centre and the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG/CARIBE-EWS).
The ITIC's responsibilities include:
CLICK HERE for ITIC 2-minute video
IOC Resolution IV-6 (1965, establishment of ITSU and ITIC)
IOC Resolution X-23 (1977, mandate and functions of ITIC for the Pacific)
IOC Resolution EC-XXI.4 (1988, amendment to ITIC mandate as supported by IOC and Member States)
IOC Resolution EC-IV.6 (1974, establishment of ITIC Associate Director)
IOC Resolution XXIII-12, 13, 14 (2005, request for ITIC to support global system development)
IOC Resolution EC-XXXIX.8 (2006, renaming of ITSU to PTWS with ITIC as interim PTWS Secretariat 2005-2007)
ITIC’s reach is international and domestic
Internationally, ITIC provides impact decision support outreach and training to countries, especially those participating to the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (PTWS) as its IOC Tsunami Information Centre, and the Tsunami and other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (CARIBE-EWS) through support to the IOC Caribbean Tsunami Information Centre. During tsunami events, ITIC provides remote real-time support to countries as they request.
Domestically, ITIC participates and supports the US National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program that encompasses 28 coastal states, territories, and commonwealths, and includes NOAA, USGS and FEMA as the US Federal Agencies. ITIC especially supports Hawaii and the Pacific insular states of American Samoa, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. During warning events, ITIC provides in-person support to HI EMA EOC.
Tsunami Information Centre and Tsunami Service Provider support to the ICG/PTWS (yellow)
Tsunami Information Centre and Tsunami Service Provider support to the ICG/CARIBE-EWS (purple)