In light of geological predictions that a tsunami is likely to hit Israel in the next 50 years, the Homefront Defense and National Infrastructure ministries are set to decide in coming days on the purchase of a tsunami warning system for Israeli coastlines. The system being considered for purchase is the German WERA tsunami warning system, which would be placed in two or three areas along Israel's shoreline. Each system costs an estimated $500,000 and employs high-frequency radars that, according to the manufacturer, "provide reliable data of ocean surface currents and significant wave height and direction over long distances (more than 200 km) [120 miles]."
According to Dov Rosen, chairman of the Marine Geology and Coastal Processes Department at the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Center, there have been 21 tsunamis in the Mediterranean in the past 3,000 years, with the last significant event occurring 300 years ago. In 1956, a relatively weak tsunami originating in Greece's Aegean Sea reached Israel's shores but caused no damage.
Tsunami waves in Mediterranean waters close to Israel can reach heights of six to 10 meters, according to Rosen. The fact that experts believe a tsunami will occur every 300 years or so, coupled with the height of the tsunami waves, dictates the need for an early warning system.
The decision to purchase and deploy the WERA system has not yet received final approval. The idea was proposed to Homefront Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, and will be conveyed to Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Shalom Simhon in coming days. The proposal will also be brought before the Knesset committee currently dealing with tsunami scenarios, headed by MK Benny Begin (Likud).
With calculations showing that a tsunami is likely to reach Israel's shores in the next 50 years, Vilnai said, "We must prepare for the expected damage and try to minimize it. A warning system could save many lives in an emergency situation. We need to be prepared in advance, not only after something happens."