World Tsunami Awareness Day 2025: Investing in preparedness saves lives
Geneva, 5 November 2025 - On the 10th anniversary of World Tsunami Awareness Day, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction urges governments, communities, and partners around the world to "Invest in Tsunami Preparedness" to save lives and protect livelihoods from a low-frequency but high-impact threat.
Tsunamis are rare but devastating hazards. As the world marks 80 years since the founding of the United Nations, this year's commemoration of World Tsunami Awareness Day highlights the long-term benefits of investing in resilience.
This was made clear in the aftermath of the recent 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia on 30 July 2025. It triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean - from Southeast Asia and Japan, to small island states of the Pacific, and as far as the United States. Rapid warnings were possible because of two decades of investment in early warning systems, and lives were saved thanks to decades of multinational cooperation and knowledge sharing.
"After the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the world chose to invest in early warning systems. Decades later, that decision is paying off," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. "With sea levels rising, and more and more people living by the coast, early warning systems need investment and improvement."
UNDRR is calling for sustained financing to enhance tsunami preparedness as a core pillar of global disaster risk reduction efforts. "To stay ahead of tsunami risks, countries need to continuously reassess community vulnerabilities, strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure, and enhance early warning systems so that no one is left behind," stated Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Head of UNDRR.
Linking global advocacy to local action, UNDRR and partners are promoting the Tsunami Ready Programme of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). In addition, following commemorations in Switzerland and Portugal, a 10th‑anniversary event will be held today at UN Headquarters in New York to review progress under the Sendai Framework; Timor‑Leste will conduct a "Get to High Ground" drill and classroom activities in Kampung Marinir; Barbados will host events with youth advocates alongside an "Early Warnings for All" online forum; and in Japan, a summit in Sendai City will convene international high school students.
Together, these actions demonstrate how community drills, youth leadership, and risk awareness translate global commitments into lifesaving practices. A full list of events taking place around the world can be found on our World Tsunami Awareness Day page.
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About World Tsunami Awareness Day
In 2015, the UN General Assembly designated 5 November as the World Tsunami Awareness Day. The date is based on a story known in Japan as "Inamura-no-hi" (the burning of rice sheaves), which took place on 5 November 1854. Every year, UNDRR calls on countries, international bodies and civil society to raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction.
Communities are encouraged to practice their coastal evacuation drills with a "Get to High Ground/Get Inland" activation, and numerous social media resources and tools are shared to support events, including the Stop Disasters Game.
About the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
UNDRR is the lead agency in the United Nations on disaster risk reduction. It provides leadership, expertise, and tools to enable countries to understand and act on disaster risks before they become disasters. UNDRR's work is guided by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which aims to achieve a substantial reduction in disaster risk and losses by the year 2030.