By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 25, 2020: Odisha has carved out a niche for itself by becoming the first state in the country to become home to Tsunami-Ready villages. With this India also has become the first country in the Indian Ocean region to have such villages.

Tsunami-ready villages are prepared to face such a calamity. The two villages, Noliasahi in Jagatsingpur district and Venkatraipur in Ganjam district have received the UNESCO-Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)’s Certificate of Recognition and Certificate of Appreciation. This is the first time that Indian villages have got such recognition by UNESCO.

The awards were handed in a virtual event held by the Indian National Centre for Oceanic Information Services (INCOIS) and the Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Center (IOTIC).

The prime objective of this programme is to prepare the coastal community for such uncalled natural calamities and to minimise the loss of life and property.

The devastating tsunami of 2004 claimed nearly 227,898 lives in 14 countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Thailand. Tamil Nadu in India, Khao Lak in Thailand and Banda Aceh reported the maximum number of fatalities.

On the fateful day of December 26, the Indian Ocean earthquake and Tsunami hit the Sumatra–Andaman region early in the morning. The underneath of the sea was shaken and resulted in a massive 9.1–9.3 magnitude earthquake.

The calamity killed over 10000 people in southern India alone. Communities along the coasts of the Indian Ocean were hit hard. The Tsunami of 2004 became the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.