The siren`s sound is heard only within a limited radius so that we need more sirens to install."Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - The Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is to install six tsunami early warning sirens in six districts of Bengkulu, an official said.
"BNPB will cooperate with BMKG (Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency) to install tsunami early warning sirens," Head of Bengkulu Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Kolendri said here Wednesday.
The sirens installment is a part of the tsunami shelter development program which will cost around Rp68 billion (6.8 million US dollar).
The program will take place in six districts such as Mukomuko, North Bengkulu, Bengkulu, Seluma, South Bengkulu and Kaur as the government`s effort to reduce impact of tsunami disaster in the region.
"The shelters are like evacuation or escape buildings when tsunami occurs," Kolendri said.
Meanwhile, there are so far two tsunami early warning sirens, grants from BMKG, installed in Bengkulu.
The sirens, using sophisticated technology, are monthly tested and checked.
"It`s expensive to build such sirens. However, the device the BNPB to build will have simpler technology," Kolendri said.
The Government will allocate Rp14 billion to build an early warning system in Bengkulu District, while the other five districts will receive Rp10 billion each.
Kolendri expected the program to be continued next year in Central Bengkulu District which has not yet been included despite being prone to disaster.
"Moreover, there is a more densely populated area in the coastal region so we need to build more shelters," Kolendri said.
Meanwhile, Head of Observation Section of Bengkulu BMKG Sudianto said the two sirens that had already been installed were still way from enough to perform an optimal tsunami early warning system.
"The siren`s sound is heard only within a limited radius so that we need more sirens to install," Sudianto said.
Indonesia lies on a very tectonically active region of the earth.
The west coast of Sumatra and the south coast of Java are at the border between the Eurasian and Australian tectonic plates.
The gradual subduction of the Australian plate under the Eurasian plate has caused several natural disasters in the past few years, most notably, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
(Uu.A059/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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