Pacific Meteorological Services improve tsunami warning procedures after training

The Cook Islands Meteorological Service and the Samoa Meteorology Division participated in an international tsunami early warning training programme in Valparaíso, Chile.

The training, which took place from 10 to 21 August 2026, was supported by the Weather Ready Pacific Programme. This initiative, run by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), aimed to strengthen the ability of Pacific national meteorological services to warn communities of tsunami threats.

The training brought together specialists from Pacific and Caribbean countries to share knowledge and improve national capacities for tsunami response. Participants studied the full warning chain, including monitoring, assessment, public communication, and emergency response. Maara Vaiimene and Angela Hazelman, who represented the Cook Islands and Samoa respectively, took part in the session to learn from Chile’s experience in managing tsunami hazards. The participants will now use these lessons to improve their own national procedures and community preparedness.

In the Cook Islands, the information will support the integration of tsunami services into a national Multi-Hazard Early Warning System. In Samoa, the lessons will help strengthen operational procedures and awareness activities. These efforts aim to ensure that communities can recognize natural warning signs and move to safety quickly, especially since local-source tsunamis can reach coastlines within minutes.