The Mediterranean is often associated with tranquil seas, but it is not immune to powerful undersea earthquakes and tsunamis. Acknowledging that risk, the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis and six coastal communes have become the first in France to earn UNESCO’s ‘Tsunami Ready’ certification, recognising years of work to strengthen emergency preparedness.
While a tsunami might seem an unlikely threat for the Mediterranean coast, experts suggest otherwise. “There is a near-certain probability—estimated at 100 per cent—that a tsunami reaching a height of at least one metre will strike the Mediterranean basin within the next 30 to 50 years,” said the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.
With millions of residents and visitors along the Côte d’Azur each year, local authorities are treating the threat as a matter of preparedness rather than probability. The certification recognises efforts to improve warning systems, emergency planning and public awareness to help minimise the impact of any future event.
From risk to readiness
The path to receiving the UNESCO recognition has been a rigorous three-year undertaking. The project, titled EVACTSU (2023–2026), was developed in a strategic partnership between the Metropolis’s public safety agency and geography experts from the University of Montpellier.
The primary objective was to transform the coastline into a landscape of safety. The project team conducted detailed mapping to identify the most vulnerable areas and, crucially, to designate secure refuge sites. The physical transformation of the coast is now visible to any observant passer-by: 800 new tsunami-specific signs have been erected across the shore. These markers do more than warn; they provide clear, easy-to-follow directions on evacuation routes to ensure that in the event of an alert, the move from the beach to higher ground is rapid and organised.
Twelve steps to safety
The ‘Tsunami Ready’ label requires adherence to 12 international standards. To qualify, a municipality must prove it has a complete and accurate map of the risks, a functional 24-hour warning system, and a commitment to a culture of preparedness.
For the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, this involved the execution of regular, full-scale evacuation practice runs. These exercises are designed to test the quick-thinking of public services and the public alike, ensuring that the plans developed on paper are effective in a real-life situation.
A new standard for the Riviera
The official presentation of the label was made on 2nd June at a ceremony in Nice. As the first territory in France to meet these strict international criteria, the Metropolis considers that it has set a new benchmark for coastal safety.
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Photo by Cassandra Tanti