Tsunami Ready Keralam

KSDMA, in collaboration with the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and UNESCO, undertook the development and implementation of the Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme starting 2022. Government allocated Rs. 37.05 lakhs for the programme vide GO (Rt) No. 813/2024/DMD dated 23-10-2024. Objectives of the programme are:
1. Build Last-Mile Preparedness: Ensure early warning messages transmitted by monitoring agencies (like INCOIS) are received, understood, and acted upon immediately by vulnerable coastal populations without technical delays.
2. Empower Grassroots Governance: Strengthen the capacity of local self-governments (Grama Panchayats and local disaster management committees) to lead evacuation protocols, respecting community agency and local geographical realities.
3. Strengthen Multi-Hazard Coastal Resilience: Leverage the infrastructure and awareness built for tsunamis to improve community readiness against intersecting, frequent marine hazards such as monsoon swell surges (Kallakkadal), storm surges, and extreme sea-level events.
4. Achieve Formal International Recognition: Systematically prepare coastal Panchayats to meet national and international audit standards, earning formal UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition certification and establishing a scalable blueprint for coastal villages nationwide.

Services of four High Education Institutions were utilized for community capacity building and evacuation planning in the selected Grama Panchayats.

The programme is piloted in the following 9 coastal panchayats.
1. Thiruvananthapuram District, Karumkulam Grama Panchayat – High erosion, dense fishing hamlets, swell surge exposure – Supported by Loyola College of Social Sciences
2. Kollam District, Alappad Grama Panchayat – Severe historical tsunami impact (2004), land strip narrowing – Supported by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
3. Alappuzha District, Purakkad Grama Panchayat – Severe shoreline retreat, low-lying coastal flooding – Supported by Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit
4. Ernakulam District, Edavanakkad Grama Panchayat – High storm surge exposure, islanded estuarine geography – Supported by Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit
5. Thrissur District, Eriyad Grama Panchayat – High swell surge vulnerability, dense coastal population – Supported by College of Climate Change and Environmental Science, Kerala Agricultural University
6. Malappuram District, Veliyancode Grama Panchayat – Critical erosion zone (NCCR high-erosion cluster) – Supported by College of Climate Change and Environmental Science, Kerala Agricultural University
7. Kozhikode District, Chemanchery Grama Panchayat – Rocky-sandy interface, intense seasonal erosion – Supported by Kerala Institute of Local Administration
8. Kannur District, Azhikode Grama Panchayat – Estuarine mouth dynamics, storm surge exposure – Supported by Kerala Institute of Local Administration
9. Kasaragod District, Valiyaparamba Grama Panchayat – Narrow barrier island geography, high inundation exposure – Supported by Kerala Institute of Local Administration

As part of the Tsunami Ready programme, KSDMA prepared the Handbook for implementation of UNESCO/IOC Tsunami Ready Programme in Keralam, 2024 in Malayalam  and English 

A comprehensive School Safety Programme was also carried out in the respective panchayaths, the report of which may be found here (PDF).

Reports on Tsunami Ready

  1. Report on Tsunami Ready Refresher training at Rotary Hall, Alappad Panchayath on 05-08-2026. Report
  2. Report on Tsunami Ready Signage Installation at Azhikode Grama Panchayat, Kannur on 04.08.2026.Report
  3. Report of the Mock Exercise on Tsunami Readiness at DEOC Malappuram on 31-07-2025. Report
  4. Report of the TSUNAMI Mock Exercise at Kollam District on 31-07-2025. Report
  5. Report on Tsunami Ready Programme Activities in Veliancode Panchayat, Malappuram 06.02.2025. Report
  6. Report on Tsunami Ready PRA and Evacuation Plan -Valiaparamba Grama Panchayat- Kasaragod, Keralam- November – 11- 2024. Report
  7. Report on Pre-Planning Meeting for Tsunami and Tsunami Evacuation Plan, Alappad GP, Kollam on 09-07-2024. Report
  8. Report on the “TSUNAMI EVACUATION PLAN” at Azhikode Gramapanchayath, Kannur District on 25-06-2024. Report
  9. Report on the “TSUNAMI EVACUATION PLAN” at Purakkad Gramapanchayath on 22-06-2024. Report
  10. Report on the Tsunami Ready Programme at Edavanakad Panchayath, Ernakulam on 20-06-2024. Report
  11. Report on the Tsunami Ready Programme – District Level Consultation Meeting at Karumkulam Panchayath Hall on 11-06-2024. Report
  12. Report on Tsunami Ready Programme in Kerala (Phase 1) on December 2022. Report