Govt to spread disaster warnings with SMS messages<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia, still reeling from a series of natural disasters,
\nplans to use text messages to alert people of impending disasters
\npredicted by an early warning system, a minister said on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
\"The result of a disaster early warning system in an area will
\nbe spread through SMSs (Short Message Services),\" Minister of
\nCommunications and Information Sofyan A. Djalil said.<\/p>\n
Such a system would allow over 80 percent of all cell phone
\nusers in a given area to be quickly informed of any impending
\nnatural disaster and would generate a rapid response from
\ngovernment officials, he said.<\/p>\n
The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) which will run the
\nearly warning system will also liaise with the media to ensure
\nthe warning messages are sent out as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n
\"The government will provide the BMG with adequate equipments
\nto carry out its tasks,\" Jalil said.<\/p>\n
The government would also announce the warnings in key urban
\nareas, such as religious and commercial centers, he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has been shaken by a series of earthquakes since the
\nmassive Dec. 26 earthquake that generated tsunamis that killed
\nabout 220,000 people around the Indian Ocean, mostly on Sumatra
\nisland.<\/p>\n
An 8.7 earthquake centered on the same Indian Ocean geological
\nfaultline on March 28 killed more than 700 people as scores of
\nconcrete buildings collapsed on the Indonesian island of Nias.<\/p>\n
A series of volcanoes on the Indonesian archipelago have
\nsprung to life in the wake of the quakes, including Tangkuban
\nPerahu, near Bandung were some 50 heads of state are to meet
\nSunday to mark the golden anniversary of the Asia-Africa summit.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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