BY: DR. A. CAVALLETTI, ING. PAOLO POLO, ING. MARCO GONELLA, ITALIAN MINISTRY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND TERRITORY AND MRS. SUPRIYA MEHTA, ASIAN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS CENTER

The following presentation will give a general introduction of the CRATER project, Coastal Risk Analysis of Tsunamis and Environmental Remediation. A general overview of the work will be presented, highlighting preliminary results and the main strategy to be followed for the implementation of the project. CRATER Project is a general approach to develop tools for managing emergency efforts following tsunami events, with respect to the analysis of the coastal risks arising from tsunami impacts.

The CRATER approach is subdivided into three modules:

·    MODULE 1: RAPIDO / Real time tsunami Alarm Program for the Indian Ocean , consists of a preloaded database of possible tsunami simulated events. It is an immediate action program for pre-early warning and forecasting of Tsunami events, which can be immediately implemented and used before the activation of the Early Warning System. Within the CRATER project, the feasibility of the RAPIDO module will be investigated in order to analyze its applicability, efficiency and reliability.

·    MODULE 2: SAVE / Study Atlas on the Vulnerability of coastal areas required by rescue plans, performs a detailed analysis of tsunami effects on coastal areas. It calculates water levels and speed associated with possible tsunami floods, allowing for the evaluation of vulnerability maps and providing the data necessary for the management of rescue plans.

·    MODULE 3: DATE / Damage Assessment of Tsunami events on the Environment will evaluate the short, medium, and long-term environmental and structural damages caused by tsunami events along the coastline.

Particular emphasis will be here given to the SAVE and DATE modules focusing on guidelines for reconstruction, risk management analysis and environmental damage assessment of the two chosen pilot area affected by the 26th of December Tsunami event, Kamala Beach (Phuket Province) and Laem Pakharang (Phang Nga Province) in Thailand. ADPC will be presenting information regarding application of these modules in enhancing preparedness planning for risk reduction, and environmental remediation, as well as specific activities to be undertaken in collaboration with government offices in the target areas under this project.