Launch of the tsunami signage in Tel Aviv* (photo: National Steering Committee for Earthquake Preparedness, Israel)

By Brigitte Leoni

LISBON, 24 November, 2017 - Do not be surprised to see tsunami warning signs if you walk along the beaches of Tel Aviv, they were set up earlier this month to coincide with the World Tsunami Awareness Day on November 5 by the city authorities to alert tourists and residents to the potential risk of a tsunami along the Mediterranean coastline.

The initiative implemented by the National Steering Committee for Earthquake Preparedness together with the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) was strongly supported by Tel Aviv's Mayor Mr. Ron Huldai.

“We had tsunamis in the past mostly triggered by earthquakes happening in Greece and Crete and the risk is still strong today. We do not know when the next one will happen and where, but we prefer to be prepared rather than being taken by surprise,” explained Mr. Amir Yahav, Director of the National Steering Committee for Earthquake Preparedness in Israel.

“Dozens of tsunami warning signs indicating escape routes in English, Hebrew, and Arabic have now been placed on beaches throughout Tel Aviv-Jaffa and the aim now is to install them all along Israel’s coasts, “ he said.

Israel counts more than 271 km of coastline and most of it is exposed to earthquake risk. Israel is located in the Mediterranean Sea where two tectonic plates, the Eurasian and the African ones can converge and trigger a major earthquake and a tsunami.

Still, tsunamis on Israeli shores are rare. The last one was recorded in 1956 and was the result of a large earthquake in Greek waters. Prior to that, the only tsunamis recorded were near Acre in the 19th century and Caesarea in the 12th century.

To complement the signs, the Israel Defense Forces has a new siren that will alert people to the threat should a tsunami happen.

"We now have two types of alerts: one for missiles and another one for tsunamis and this last one also includes for the first time a vocal message saying that a tsunami is in progress,” said Mr. Yahav who added that the initiative has been well received by the residents of Tel Aviv and the media.