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Tsunami Warning System Up and Running

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the plenty-of-time-to-get-your-surfboard-now dept.

SEWilco writes "UNESCO has announced that their Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System is up and running as scheduled. From the article: 'Twenty-six out of a possible 28 national tsunami information centers, capable of receiving and distributing tsunami advisories around the clock have been set up in Indian Ocean countries. The seismographic network has been improved, with 25 new stations being deployed and linked in real-time to analysis centers. There are also three Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) sensors. The Commission for the Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) is also contributing data from seismographic stations."

8 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Great - but local challenges by WinEveryGame · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While this is a welcome achievement, a key challenge is to get the local processes in place to effectively utilize the early warning. Unfortunately some of the most vulnerable spots are far-flung areas with lack of resources and processes to handle effective evacuations etc.

  2. It's not a bad thing by celardore · · Score: 4, Insightful

    While I feel that this system is generally useful and productive, how often do tsunamis happen? I wonder if this "early warning system" will even be used in the next 50 years.

    1. Re:It's not a bad thing by joe+155 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      well according to wikipedia there have been at least 6 fairly big tsunami's since the 60's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunami). Although the boxing-day one was the biggest in recent memory thousands of lives could be saved in the next 50 years even if (which we hope) no other big tsunamis happen

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      *''I can't believe it's not a hyperlink.''
    2. Re:It's not a bad thing by LiftOp · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Any opportunity to link these kinds of data systems is a good thing. Seismic data is most useful when combined with as many data points as possible. Tsunamis aside, the long-term benefits of these networks from an earthquake prediction standpoint will be enormous.

  3. Good news! by Manip · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Before the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, American researchers actually knew it was coming but didn't have a way to worn the people in its path. They literally in the same position you or I would be in if we too knew it was going to happen.

    Who would you phone, in a couple of minutes? The embassies?
    That is about as effective as standing out on the front lawn and yellowing "There's a tsunami coming!"

    So as I said, this is great news. It will allow international researchers to warn places of the impending wave, and helpfully save a few lives.

  4. UN by kisak · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Great work by UNESCO. Another example why the UN has become such a vital organisation after WWII.

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    --- guns don't kill people, people with guns kill people ---

    1. Re:UN by FooGoo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I am all for the UN doing this type of work as protecting human rights, solving political problems, or preventing genocide is not their forte.

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      People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them
    2. Re:UN by JahToasted · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Solving political problems or preventing genocide doesn't seem to be anyone's forte. The UN attempts to do these things anyway with varying degrees of success. You don't hear about the times they succeed because negotiating treaties and keeping things peaceful don't get as much attention as several million people being massacred (and even that doesn't get much attention anymore). Are you saying they shouldn't attempt anything that has a significant chance of failure?