Message on World Tsunami Awareness Day

　　世界海啸意识日致辞

　　5 November 2016

　　2016年11月5日

　　Today marks the first observance of World Tsunami Awareness Day. On this day, in 1854, a Japanese village leader recognized the signs of an approaching tsunami and improvised a remarkably effective early warning system – he set fire to his rice sheaves, saving the lives of the many villagers who saw the smoke and ran uphill to help put out the flames.

　　今天是第一次举办世界海啸意识日纪念活动。1854年的这一天，一位日本村落首领发现了海啸将至的迹象，自发地采用了一种非常有效的预警系统——他点燃了自家米垛，许多人看到烟雾，跑上山帮助灭火而幸免于难。

　　Over the years, early warning systems have grown more sophisticated, particularly since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed nearly 226,000 lives. That tragedy prompted the introduction of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System.

　　多年来，特别是自2004年印度洋海啸造成226000人丧生以来，预警系统变得越来越复杂。印度洋海啸的悲剧促使人们建立了印度洋海啸报警和减灾系统。

　　In September this year, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO invited disaster management officials from 24 countries around the Indian Ocean to participate in one of the largest tsunami simulation exercises ever organized. The importance of simulation exercises and evacuation drills is underlined in a report released today by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. It highlights that population growth has greatly increased exposure to tsunamis and other hazards in many regions.

　　今年9月，教科文组织政府间海洋学委员会邀请印度洋周围24个国家的灾害管理官员参加了有史以来举办的最大一次海啸模拟演习。联合国减少灾害风险办公室今天发布的一份报告强调了这次模拟和疏散演习的重要性。报告特别指出，人口增长大大加剧了许多地区遭遇海啸和其他灾患的风险。

　　Since 1996, 250,900 people have died in 21 countries affected by 30 tsunamis. Tsunamis also pose a significant threat to major infrastructure either already built or planned for coastal areas. The significance of this threat was demonstrated in March 2011 by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, which claimed many lives, left many more homeless and triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

　　自1996年以来，已有30次海啸造成21个国家受灾，致使250900人丧生。海啸还对沿海地区已经建成或计划建造的主要基础设施构成重大威胁。这种威胁的严重程度在2011年3月东日本大地震和海啸中得到了证明，东日本大地震和海啸造成多人丧生，使更多的人无家可归，并引发了福岛核电站的熔毁。

　　World Tsunami Awareness Day serves as a reminder of the importance of reducing current and future levels of risk. This should be a clear guiding principle for all those working in the public and private sectors who have to take decisions on major infrastructure projects in seismic zones and near exposed coastlines. Tsunamis may be rare but, like any other natural hazard, if we fail to prepare and raise awareness, then we risk paying a heavy price.

　　世界海啸意识日提醒人们必须降低当前和未来的风险水平。对于那些要决定是否在震区和濒危海岸线兴建重大基础设施项目的公共和私营部门的所有在业人员来说，这应该成为一个明确的指导原则。海啸可能很少发生，但与任何其他自然灾患一样，如果我们没有做好准备和提高意识，我们就可能付出沉重的代价。

（编辑：何莹莹）