'Make communities the starting point in tsunami risk reduction'

A United Nations backed simulation exercise tested the Indian Ocean early warning system in the context of the International Day for Disaster Reduction this week. Despite large investments and increased activity involved in developing the system, some experts say the warning system is failing the very coastal communities it is designed to help.

"The closer the warning gets to the most vulnerable people, the more it fades out," said Marcus Oxley, chairman of the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction.

"This does make you question the effectiveness of national or international warning systems. Even if you have the best policy at the national level, there is no guarantee that this will bring about changes at the local level where people are at risk, live and work."

Alertnet cites a number of experts calling for increased partnership between NGOs and community-based organizations and strengthened governance.