UNESCO warns of tsunami risk off France’s Mediterranean coast

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has warned of a high probability of a tsunami occurring in the Mediterranean Sea, including off the coast of France, in the coming decades, the organisation said on its website, per Caliber.Az.

Experts say the region cannot be considered completely safe: historical data show cases in which destructive waves reached the French coastline.

According to researchers, tsunamis can occur not only due to earthquakes but also as a result of underwater landslides or volcanic eruptions. The danger is posed not only by the waves themselves but also by powerful currents capable of flooding ports and destroying coastal infrastructure.

As an example, UNESCO cited an incident in 1979 in Nice, when an underwater landslide during construction work triggered a wave that caused eight fatalities.

Through its Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), UNESCO coordinates global tsunami early-warning systems established after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. These systems include sensor networks, regional centers and the “Tsunami Ready” training programme aimed at protecting coastal areas and educating populations worldwide.

By Khagan Isayev