Twenty years after the Indian Ocean tsunami that struck Indonesia, the country is upgrading its warning system to prepare for potential disasters. Teuku Hafid Hududillah, a 28-year-old quake observer, has dedicated his life to ensuring Aceh’s readiness.
The 2004 tsunami killed 126,000 in Aceh, where no sirens were heard, resulting in the highest toll among more than 230,000 dead worldwide. Indonesia is upgrading its quake detection and tsunami warning system, including louder sirens that can be heard up to 62 miles away.
Residents are receiving regular training on responding to earthquakes and tsunamis. Zainuddin, a local resident, urges the government to improve urban planning measures to reduce evacuation difficulties during rush hour.
The upgraded system will quickly dispatch emergency messages via telephone and radio for earthquakes of magnitude over 5 and signal the likely risk of a tsunami through sirens. Indonesia’s disaster-prone status has led to criticism about insufficient investment in mitigation infrastructure, with past failures, such as the Palu 2018 tsunami, highlighting the need for improvement.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/aceh-hopeful-indonesia-beefs-up-warning-system-20-years-after-tsunami-2024-12-24