( CNN ) Most of us can clearly recall where we were on December 26 , 2004 , when a massive earthquake off the northern coast of Sumatra , Indonesia triggered a deadly tsunami that swept across the Indian Ocean , killing more than 226,000 people and causing massive destruction along coastal areas of 14 countries . The tsunami caused one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory , as its full horror unfolded on TV screens around the world . Ten years on , it is important to reflect on what the tsunami has taught us and whether these communities are any safer from such disasters . One clear lesson reinforced by the tsunami has been the importance of investing in disaster risk reduction ( DRR ) at both global and local levels . In January 2005 , The Hyogo Framework for Action ( HFA ) -- a global blueprint for disaster risk reduction efforts with a ten-year plan -- was adopted by 168 governments . Its goal was to substantially reduce disaster losses by 2015 by building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters . In June 2006 , the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System became active , consisting of 25 seismographic stations -- used to detect earthquakes early -- relaying information to 26 national tsunami information centers . This has resulted in timely evacuations of mass populations when alerts are sounded . Removing red tape . The tsunami also highlighted how weak legislation led to blockages and major coordination challenges in the delivery of international assistance . The Hyogo Framework for Action calls for improved legislation to facilitate international disaster response , an area where the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies ( IFRC ) has been working closely with governments through its Disaster Laws program . Twelve countries in Asia Pacific have made , or are progressing towards , legislative or regulatory changes . These include Indonesia , where the National Disaster Management Authority has revised its regulations relating to the participation of the international community in national emergencies . Another example is the Philippines , where , following Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 , the government relaxed immigration requirements and established one-stop-shops to streamline the clearance process for incoming goods and equipment . But global and national initiatives need to go hand-in-hand with investment in locally driven approaches towards reducing risk . Working with communities to help them be better prepared to face future disasters was the thread that ran through the IFRC 's recovery efforts after the tsunami . Supporting the rebuilding of physical infrastructure , including 57,000 new homes , was one step , but establishing community based disaster risk management programs was equally important . Sea search and rescue teams were set up in Thailand , training was given to thousands of first-responders in Sri Lanka , and early warning systems -- using HF Radio -- were established across Indonesia alongside mangrove planting projects to reduce the impact of coastal flooding . The legacy of those initiatives lives on today . Improving communication . Community participation and engagement in risk reduction is vital and the tsunami cast a spotlight on the need to improve accountability and two-way communication with crisis affected communities . In Aceh , Indonesia , traditional and hi-tech approaches were used to enable people to raise questions or air concerns about the aid effort via community meetings , live radio and SMS . Such approaches have since become integral aspects of major operations and have proved essential in health promotion and social mobilization campaigns . Next year , the Third U.N. World Conference on Risk Reduction takes place in Japan where HFA 2 will take shape . This represents a unique opportunity to re-focus attention on the need for greater investment in community level disaster risk reduction . This means recognizing that local people and organizations are first responders in emergencies ; understanding that they must be the drivers of change in their communities as they have the best understanding of the risks they face . It also means investing in strengthening the risk reduction capacities of local , city and regional authorities . While we ca n't prevent another tsunami , we do know that many people in harms way today are now more aware and better prepared to face future disasters . The challenge ahead remains how we align global and local action to safeguard future generations .
Lesson reinforced by tsunami is importance of investing in disaster risk reduction . Tsunami highlighted how weak laws led to blockages and challenges in delivering assistance . Establishing community based disaster risk management programs like search teams in Thailand , training in Sri Lanka also important .