Up to 50 national and provincial participants underwent a tsunami training at the Laguna Hotel in Port Moresby.
The event took place from August 4-9.
The Unites States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) and International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC) conducted tsunami training for national and provincial government agencies responsible for tsunami warning.
They focused on tsunami hazard mitigation, education and awareness, warning and understanding the PTWC's tsunami forecast products and local tsunami response.
“Papua New Guinea is one of the most seismically active and tectonically complex areas of the world, so the tsunami hazard is very high for all islands,” said U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Bernard Link.
“We’re very fortunate to be able to bring the PTWC and ITIC experts to Port Moresby to conduct this important training.”
Participants included members of Red Cross PNG from Mt. Hagen, members of the media, and schoolteachers.
“Preparing for the next tsunami requires communities to know what to do when we recognise a tsunami, and how to respond and where to go when the Port Moresby Geophysical Observatory and the PTWC warn us that a tsunami is imminent,” said one of the participants.
This training will provide the participants with the latest guidance on using the forecast products issued by the PTWC, on how to strengthen community preparedness through the UNESCO IOC Tsunami Ready programme, and on how to improve their tsunami warning decision-making with the available tools for monitoring tsunamis and assessing their threat.
The training was sponsored by the US Department of Defense and NOAA, hosted by Papua New Guinea's National Disaster Office and the Port Moresby Geophysical Observatory.
(Participants of the ITIC tsunami training along with facilitators from Hawaii and US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Bernard Link)