Cannes

On January 19, 2024, the Municipality of Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes) achieved recognition as the first UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready community in mainland France and the North-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (NEAM) region. Cannes is exposed to most natural risks, including submergence and tsunami risks, with its 15 km of coastline (Lérins islands included). They can be caused either by a local phenomenon such as an earthquake or underwater landslide with a risk of submersion within 15 to 30 minutes or by an earthquake off the coast of North Africa with a coastal impact in 60 to 100 minutes.

Cannes Municipality (Alpes Maritimes) has been actively preparing for years for community responses to tsunami risk. All these different actions, including the installation of an alert system, hazard assessments, evacuation mapping and installation of signage, the organization of drills and exercises, the preparation of education and awareness materials, and the establishment of a National Tsunami Ready Board, fall well within the scope of the UNESCO Tsunami Ready 12 key indicators.

The implementation was supported at National level by the Direction générale de la sécurité civile et de la gestion des crises, Direction générale de la prévention des risques, CENtre d'Alerte aux Tsunami (CENALT) which is also a NEAM Tsunami Service Provider (TSP), and Université de Montpellier 3. At municipal level by the Municipal Department of Major Risk, the Municipal Police, the Cannes Company Firefighters, the port authorities, several tourism industry associations, the municipal civil protection reserve, among other key contributors.

Tsunami Ready is applied at the local community level, enhanced by community participation, dedication of various experts, and multi-level political commitment, including the Mayor of Cannes. All this makes Cannes an example in terms of population protection.

Cannes Documents