"I think that those devices are important to be fixed since we live in a country that is prone to experience tsunami," he said in a press statement delivered after a public lecture at Maspardi Building, Surabaya Navy Academy (AAL) on Monday.
It was reported that the seven tsunami detection devices (Ina-Buoys) owned by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) installed at several tsunami-prone locations are no longer functional.
According to BRIN, those devices are no longer working since they are two years old and due to their operational costs that are relatively high.
Speaking in connection with the budget to address these matters, the vice president remarked that it should not be a problem, given that repairing these buoys can be done gradually.
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This means that regardless of the case, tsunami detection devices should still exist and function well.
At the very least, these devices should be able to provide early sign or warning, he remarked.
According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), it has been up to a year since these tsunami detection buoys had functioned.
These buoys are connected to seafloor sensors near Bengkulu, near Mount Krakatau, Sunda Strait, Pangandaran south sea, south of East Java, Bali south sea and Waingapu south sea in East Sumba.
Accompanying the vice president during this press conference were National Defense Force (TNI) Commander Admiral Yudo Margono, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali, Governor of AAL Rear Admiral Denih Hendrata, and Deputy Governor of East Java Elestianto Dardak.
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Translator: Desca Lidya N, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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