Tsunami Alert Efficiency in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: The 2 May 2020 Earthquake (Mw6.6) and Near-Field Tsunami South of Crete (Greece)

摘要: The Mediterranean tsunami warning system is based on national monitoring centers (Tsunami Service Providers, TSPs) and operates under the IOC/UNESCO umbrella. For first time we evaluate in depth system’s performance for improving its operational effectiveness conditions of extremely narrow frames due to near-field sources. At 10 (± 2) min from origin time, to, 2 May 2020 (Mw6.6) earthquake Crete, Greek, Italian Turkish TSPs sent alerts civil protection subscribers. A small (amplitude ~16 cm a.m.s.l.) magnitude Mt6.8, arriving at south Crete ~17 was documented tide-gauge records macroscopic observations. analysis upstream alert messages showed that efficiency not adequate, since (1) parameters low accuracy were used initial message, (2) issued after some forecasted wave arrival times had expired, (3) are characterized by various discrepancies uncertainties. Our calculations component improves if shortened a few minutes more accurate. Very late procedures noted Greek downstream component, thus rendering response actions useless. In Israel, bit available authorities decision making. drastic improvement needed achieve timely alerting local communities.