Bonn, Germany - Experts from 26 nations gathered in Bonn on Wednesday for a three-day conference on a tsunami early-warning system for the North Atlantic and Mediterranean regions.
The discussions will centre on ways to merge the various national early warning systems into an effective emergency plan, according to Germany's Ministry of Education and Research, which is hosting the session.
Experts say the chance of a major tsunami hitting the Mediterranean and connecting seas is no more than once in 100 years, with Italy and Greece likely to be worst affected.
It would take a maximum of 60 minutes for a huge wave to reach the Mediterranean's beaches, said Peter Koltermann, head of the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
Koltermann said it was necessary to ensure that a warning system collecting data from buoys and satellites be linked to efforts on the ground, such as stores of supplies and directions to emergency shelters.
The IOC was set up in the wake of the Asian tsunami of December 2004 that claimed 230,000 lives and affected 12 countries.
