indonesia tsunami warning system
The operating mode of the German-Indonesian early warning system in the event of a strong quake is based on early registration by earthquake measuring instruments. The system wasn't working when a tsunami struck Sunday, killing hundreds. The operating mode of the German-Indonesian early warning system in the event of a strong quake is based on early registration by earthquake measuring instruments. The system falls back on many different sensors. Please upgrade your browser. This cookie is set by the website operator to store your cookie options. Suitable locations and transportation routes must also be planned. According to data from the disaster agency, out of about 1,000 tsunami sirens needed across Indonesia, only 56 are in place. The respective sensors detect the event and forward the information to the warning centre, where it is compared with other sensor data. How is the population supplied with medication, food and drinking water in the wake of a disaster if the infrastructure has collapsed? Within the framework of the GITEWS project, evacuation and action plans are also being developed to protect the population. As a Tsunami Service Provider (TSP) for the Indian Ocean Countries, the Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (InaTEWS) offers web access to ocean-wide tsunami warning products. The funds were invested by the German government within the framework of reconstruction efforts in the areas of the Indian Ocean affected by the tsunami on 26 December 2004. 8. “There is a warning system but on that day there was none. The decision to issue a warning and transmit it to the Indonesian authorities is the responsibility of the Officer on Duty. In addition to training courses and other educational programmes for the professionals who have been running the Indonesian warning centre since the completion of the system, the education of the public in respect to the dangers and risks of a tsunami and the requisite behaviour in the case of such an event is a major issue. A tsunami is triggered in 90% of cases by earthquakes, less commonly by volcanic eruptions and/or landslides. Photo by: REUTERS / Dadang Tri. If one monitoring station fails, the data from the seismometers and GPS networks still remain and thus guarantee sensor redundancy. There were no signals or signs that such a powerful earthquake or, in particular, that a tsunami of comparable destructive power was to be expected. How important is international cooperation for protection against natural disasters, in particular against tsunamis? The tsunami in Palu occurred in an area where there are no tide gauges that could give information about the wave's height, and most of Indonesia’s deep ocean tsunameter buoys have not been working for years. Although, due to the short reaction time in the event of a tsunami, many processes in the early warning centre must take place automatically, the experience and judgement of experts is an important factor in assessing whether the population must be warned or not. Due to the fact that the first coastal areas can already be hit by the wave within 20 - 30 minutes, many activities must take place parallel to each other. InaTEWS - Indonesia Tsunami Early Warning System. 22. Indonesia’s system, completed in 2008, consists of seismographic sensors, buoys, tidal gauges and GPS. What procedure is followed in such a situation to warn or possibly evacuate the coastal population? The work includes not only the development and installation of measuring instruments but also the creation of the actual national warning centre itself. 19. 24. None of these measures were able to adequately predict the scale of Friday’s tsunami, which reached heights of 20 feet in the city of Palu, south of the earthquake’s epicenter. Ground stations are often installed on fenced-in private land or institute grounds. The warning message is generated in the warning centre in Jakarta. The system was developed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre with support from the Commission’s department for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). However, the coastlines concerned are very well prepared for such cases. The faster a warning can be issued, the more time remains to take the requisite precautions (for example evacuation). 21. The promotion of awareness among the population in regard to "tsunami" as a natural hazard is also essential. Some criticism centers on the lack of sirens to warn residents of oncoming waves and shelters on higher ground to accommodate evacuees. German Indonesia Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS) for Indonesia Tsunami Early Warning System (InaTEWS) Indonesia has 22 open water tsunami buoys that have not worked since 2012 because of vandalism and lack of maintenance. After the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004, the BMBF-project 'German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System' (GITEWS) was part of the German contribution to reconstruction and development. Regional Tsunami Service Providers. Common strategies and plans of action must therefore also be designed to protect a region. NYTimes.com no longer supports Internet Explorer 9 or earlier.