Mobile phone masts to warn of tsunamis

INDONESIA'S RESEARCH and Technology minister, Kusmayanto Kadiman, revealed that his country will be fitting sirens to mobile phone masts to warn residents of impending tsunamis.

The move follows widespread criticism that the government had failed to give enough warning after a tsunami occurred more than 30 minutes after a magnitude 7.7 quake struck under the Indian Ocean. Huge waves killed hundreds of people along the south coast of Java on July 17th.

Kadiman also said that meteorological offices would upgrade their equipment so that information on a tsunami could be relayed more quickly to the police, broadcasting networks and the local government officials assigned to turn on the sirens.

Indonesia has 17,000 islands that sprawl along a belt of intense volcanic and seismic activity, part of what is called the Pacific Ring of Fire.

However, despite the appalling tsunami of 2004, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says that the public still appeared to have little idea how to react if a tsunami came their way.

Take to the hills, obviously.

More on this story in the Sydney Morning Herald µ