The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences has been working on the next-generation tsunami warning systems by studying the real-time inundation modelling, near-field GPS measurements for real-time rupture characterisation, 3D mapping of vulnerable coastal areas and sea-level inversions.
With an interim warning system, the Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) at INCOIS now has a real-time network of seismic stations, tsunami buoys, tide gauges and a round-the-clock operational warning centre to detect tsunamigenic earthquakes, monitor sea-level changes and provide timely advisories to the vulnerable community in the countries along the Indian Ocean rim, said Director Satheesh C. Shenoi on Friday.
The INCOIS, operational since October 2007, has been issuing accurate tsunami advisories for all under-sea earthquakes and although rare, they are among the most devastating natural disasters.
The 2004 tsunami caused by an earthquake of magnitude 9.1 off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, has been the worst natural disaster in history killing around 2.3 lakh along the coast of the Indian Ocean, he pointed out.
Dr. Shenoi said the high death rate was mainly due to the absence of early warning systems in the region. The Centre has so far detected 475 earthquakes of M > 6.5 in the world oceans and 68 earthquakes in the Indian Ocean and had also issued warnings/advisories to the authorities concerned. Earthquake information, tsunami bulletins and real-time sea-level observations were also available on www.tsunami.incois.gov.in .
Earthquake alerts and tsunami bulletins can also be obtained through emails and SMSes if one registers. The Centre also assists all the coastal States through education programmes and regular tsunami communication and evacuation exercises with special emphasis on schoolchildren and other coastal communities around the nation, added the Director.
