Why tsunami evacuation signs have been put up in Nice
Hundreds of signs have appeared along the Promenade des Anglais
The signs display the words "Tsunami Evacuation Zone" or “Evacuation Tsunami”
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Hundreds of tsunami evacuation signs have been installed along the Promenade des Anglais and throughout Nice.
The signs display the words "Tsunami Evacuation Zone" or “Evacuation Tsunami”, which may raise concerns of an imminent threat.
While the signs are only precautionary there is nonetheless a real danger of a tsunami hitting the region in the coming years.
UNESCO warned in a 2024 report that there is a 100% chance of a tsunami at least one metre high occurring somewhere in the Mediterranean within the next 30 to 50 years.
For this reason, the City of Nice and the Nice Côte d'Azur Metropolitan Area have put in place an evacuation plan and a signage system in case such an event occurs. Around 800 information and directional signs have been installed across the city as part of the EVACTSU tsunami preparedness project.
Although Mediterranean tsunamis are expected to be less severe than the devastating events that struck the Indian Ocean in 2004 and Japan in 2011, they can still pose a risk to coastal communities.
While tsunamis are more often associated with the Pacific Ocean, the French Riviera has experienced them before. For example , in 1887 an earthquake near the coastal city of Imperia in Italy triggered a tsunami that caused sea-level fluctuations of between one and two metres in ports including Nice, Menton, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes and Cannes.
More recently, an earthquake in 2003 in northern Algeria generated moderate tsunamis that caused damage in ports in the Balearic Islands, and led to sea level variations along the French coast.
In the event of a tsunami, the City of Nice advises residents and visitors to familiarise themselves with evacuation procedures in advance. This includes consulting evacuation plans, identifying possible evacuation routes, locating the nearest refuge sites and informing loved ones.
Refuge sites have been established across the city, including schools, public buildings and elevated locations. The evacuation zone covers areas less than five metres above sea level and within 200 metres of the coastline. Along river mouths, this zone extends up to 500 metres inland.
If a tsunami warning is issued, or if warning signs such as strong seismic shaking or unusual sea behaviour are observed, people should act immediately. Those on land should move inland on foot to a location more than five metres above sea level. If travelling by car, they should stop safely and continue on foot. People at sea on a boat should head out into open water. In all cases, you should always follow instructions issued by the authorities.
After the first waves have passed, the danger may remain. Additional waves and strong currents can continue for several hours, so people should remain in a safe location until authorities declare that the threat has ended.
