Tsunamis have had tremendous destructive impacts on coastal communities in the Asia-Pacific region. Indonesia also has a high frequency of these natural disasters, having recorded 25 massive earthquakes and nine devastating tsunamis between 1990 and 2008 – on average once every two years, including the tsunami that hit Aceh and other parts of Sumatra Island in 2004.
The Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Meteorology, Climatology Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and the Padang Local Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) worked together in coordinating the IOWave16 Tsunami Exercise in Padang. It is noted that to date, clearly Padang has made progress towards an end-to-end tsunami warning chain, which can become a benchmark for other cities in Indonesia and the Indian Ocean region.
