Tsunami early warning siren all at once

Denpasar (ANTARA News) - The government to test a Tsunami early warning on November 11, 2008 all at once all over Indonesia on 4.00 pm WIB. Bali has six tsunami early sirens to be tested.

"We urge everybody on November 11 not to panic when the siren goes of, its only just a drill," said the Denpasar Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) information and data chief division Sutrisno, here Wednesday.

Sutrisno said the announcement in the tsunami early warning system socialization to all local government arrays held here.

He also said that the sirens will set off for one minute with "This is only a tsunami early warning test" announcement would be repeated three times.

"This socialization to prevent public panic," he said.

The Bali six early warning towers spreads over BTDC Nusa Dua. Seminyak, Kuta, Kedonganan, Tanjung Benoa and Sanur.

After the trial on November 11, trial test would be routinely conducted on the 26 of every month at 10.00 pm local times. This effort is to increases public awareness and to test the early warning siren device.

The alarm would sound on a steady note with three minutes or more duration.

If the sirens sets of, other warning instrument like `Kentongan` (drum made from bamboo which is struck to sound an alarm), `Bedug` (large drum suspended horizontally at mosque to summon to prayer)and Mosque`s public announcement systems and other instruments are expected.

Apart from siren warning, the BMG would also warns in five different applications such as Short messages service, and audio and text channels.

BMG itself would only need approximately less than five minutes from the earthquake occurrence whether its a tsunami potential or not.

"After the earthquake, our device would read and predicted it straight away for tsunami potential or not," sutrisno said.

Based on the history, Bali had experienced twice three meters high small tsunamis from Sumbawa tsunami on 1997 and Banyuwangi tsunami on 1994.

Source : www.antara.co.id